Black Dreams, White Dreams
by Lulu-san
Summary: Wow! ANOTHER update! Now, Chapter 13 is up for reading! The group go to Luca for a tournament and a break, but Lulu and Wakka don't quite know where they stand with eachother. Mainly Lukka and a little bit of everything else!
1. Talk of things to come

Disclaimer - I don't own any Final Fantasy Characters, they're all copyright to Sqauresoft, all I own is this fanfic. ^_^  
  
*************************** Black Dreams, White Dreams By Lulu-san  
  
Chapter 1 - Talk of things to come  
  
******************************************  
  
"So you're doing the tournament again."  
  
Lulu, Wakka, Yuna and Tidus were all sitting on the Besaid beach, discussing the coming Blitzball tournament. Well, Tidus and Wakka were discussing Blitzball.  
  
"You just watch." Tidus said, flinging an arm around Yuna. "We'll win again this year, just like last year and the year before."  
  
Lulu sighed at the boy's confidence, and pulled her arms closer around herself. Although the sun was as hot as it always was on Besaid, she could still feel a cold wind that sprung up in the late afternoon. It had been some time since the defeat of Sin, and everyone seemed to be enjoying peace. Wakka and Tidus had started another Blitz team, ironically called the Aurochs-Mark-II, which ironically included most of the old players.  
  
"Aaah. How could we not lose, ya!" Wakka flopped backwards onto the sand. "Are ya coming to watch, Lu?" he said, giving her a sideways look.  
  
"I suppose." She answered, turning her head away.  
  
Wakka sighed within. "Still so grumpy, even though Sin's well an' truly gone. I wish she'd smile again." he thought.  
  
"Do you think Rikku will come again?" Yuna asked softly, leaning into Tidus arms.  
  
"Speak of the devil."Tidus replied, raising a hand to point at a furiously waving figure on the other side of the beach.  
  
"Hey! HEY!"  
  
Rikku ran over to when the group was settled. "You'll never, ever, ever guess what!" she giggled, flopping in front of them.  
  
"You're leaving-marrying-pregnant-grown-an-extra-leg-becoming-a-female- blitzer?" Tidus asked.  
  
The young Al-Bhed glared at him. "No, dummy. Even better. Look at what I won!"  
  
Rikku thrust 5 colourful bits of paper at Yuna. "What? What is it?" Tidus whined, trying to see. "Rikku! This is." Yuna gasped.  
  
"I know! Isn't it cool?" Rikku smirked.  
  
"Wha--aa-t?" Tidus whined.  
  
"5 tickets to the most expensive hotel in Luca!" Yuna exclaimed. "How on earth did you get these?"  
  
"Like I said." Rikku smiled. "I won them."  
  
"Rikku." said Lulu. "You didn't cheat, did you?"  
  
"We-ll." Rikku said, shuffling her feet uncomfortably. "Not really."  
  
"Rikku!" Yuna gasped. "You didn't!"  
  
"We-ll, like I said, not exactly. I just put a couple of Luck spells on the entry form, and sent it off." Rikku said, which for some reason started Tidus and Wakka laughing.  
  
"Oh Rikku." Lulu muttered, shaking her head but almost smiling.  
  
"Wh-aa-t?" Rikku whined. "You'll all still go, yeah?"  
  
"But what's the point, ya?" Wakka grinned. "I mean, we're all going to be in Luca for the tournament anyway, ya?"  
  
"Exactly!" Rikky beamed. "So I thought I'd go ahead and make accommodation reservations! After all, you did such a shocking job last year."  
  
The group winced, remembering the 0.4 of a star hotel that they had stayed in last year, on Tidus's recommendation. "Anyway.You all will be coming, right?" Rikku pleaded.  
  
"Course!" Tidus and Wakka said in unison.  
  
"I don't know."Yuna said thoughtfully. "I mean, you did cheat and-"  
  
"C'mon Yunie!" Rikku wailed. "Even Lulu's coming!"  
  
"I didn't say anything." Lulu interrupted. "I don't even know if I'm even going to Luca yet!" Rikku turned to face Lulu, and put her hands on her hips.  
  
"How could you not go?" she cried. "The Aurochs-Mark-II are going to have their 4th consecutive win, and you're not going? Lulu, you're so mean! That's just so awful."  
  
"Uh- I don't mind, ya? Lu's got her reasons, she's doesn't gotta go, ya know?" Wakka said, sitting up.  
  
"You big liar!" Rikku wailed, upset at the thought of her perfect plan collapsing.  
  
"It's ok, Rikku." Yuna said, calmly. "If I'm coming to watch the team, I see no point in wasting those tickets."  
  
"Really!?" Rikku cried.  
  
"If you offer still stands, that is." Yuna smiled.  
  
"Ya-ay!" Rikku turned back to Lulu with a determined smile. "You absolutely have to come now!" she smirked. "Everyone else is going."  
  
"She's got a point, you know." Tidus agreed. "It wouldn't be the same without our beloved grump Lulu." Lulu shot him a death glare, before sighing in defeat.  
  
"All right."she said quietly. "I guess I'll come along."  
  
Rikku almost turned purple with happiness.  
  
"Yesss~!" she grinned, bounding to her feet. "It's next week, right? I'll make the arrangements now!" With one final jump of excitement, Rikku ran off, probably to find the closest telephone unit.  
  
"Man, that girl takes it out of you!" Tidus said, lying back into the sand. "Still, that hotel sounds like fun."  
  
Another burst of cold wind surrounded the group, and Lulu shivered, hugging her knees.  
  
"Since when did I become so weak?" She thought to herself. "It's only a little breeze. I've been through far worse. Anyway, it's alright for Yuna. She's got Tidus to keep her warm."  
  
Almost as if on cue, Yuna moved into the comfortable embrace of Tidus's arms. Lulu rested her head on her folded arms and looked up at the darkening sky. "I don't even know why I made such a fuss back there." she thought. "It's not like I was ever seriously considering not going. I just went straight out and upset people again."  
  
"Uwaah!"  
  
Lulu broke out of her thoughts, distracted by Yuna's excited cry.  
  
"Look! A shooting star!" Yuna cried, pointing to the sky. Lulu followed her gaze. The small line of light disappeared as quickly as it had come.  
  
"So pretty!" Yuna said in awe.  
  
"Where? Where? I didn't see it?" Tidus whined.  
  
"Are you sure, Yuna?" Wakka asked. "Ain't it a little early for shootin' stars?"  
  
"I saw it too." Lulu murmured.  
  
"You see!" Yuna teased. "You guys just aren't fast enough. What did you wish for Lulu?"  
  
"Aren't you getting too old for wishes?" Lulu said coldly.  
  
Yuna was silent for a moment before smiling.  
  
"Aha! I get it! You just don't want to tell me your wish, right Lulu?" she said winking.  
  
"No." Lulu thought. "I didn't tell you, because I didn't make one."  
  
Suddenly Yuna stifled a huge yawn. "Aa!" she giggled. "I'm more tired than I thought. Guess I'll head home now."  
  
"Good plan." Tidus agreed, standing up and stretching. "Tide's coming in. If you guys don't pack it in soon, you'll get wet!" With the last sentence, Tidus swung a gentle kick into Wakka's side.  
  
"Ow! I getcha, I getcha. G'night, you two." Tidus and Yuna headed back to the village, their footsteps fading slowly to silence, leaving Wakka and Lulu by themselves on the sand.  
  
"Heh. It's quiet, ya?" Wakka said, once Tidus and Yuna had disappeared from their sight.  
  
"Is it that necessary to state the obvious?" Lulu said coldly.  
  
Wakka laughed nervously, before once again lying back into the cold sand. The two of them sat there in silence, watching the slowly rising moon. Wakka turned his head to the side, so the mage was in his sight. Lulu had her knees drawn in, and was resting her head on her folded arms. Her eyes were closed, and her soft breathing was the only noise that broke the quiet of night.  
  
"Man. I don't believe it. She's got her eyes shut! Boy, is she missin' a show tonight. Such a grump." Wakka thought to himself, as the stars glowed above.  
  
"Still." he thought, stealing another glance at the black mage. "She is quite pretty, ya. Pretty? Nah, I'd say beautiful is more the word. After all, she always was a cute kid. Anyone could have seen that."  
  
Wakka grinned to himself as he remembered the days that they had shared as kids. Lulu had been extremely popular among the young boys, until she had scared them all off with her 'black magic in practice'. Nevertheless, it hadn't stopped him and Chappu hanging around her, and a firm friendship had soon been forged. Wakka could barely contain himself from chuckling as her remembered the stupid (and quite funny) things that they had gotten up to. Playing tricks on the Yevon priests had given them two weeks worth of lectures, and Chappu had gotten into deep trouble after he had (accidentally on purpose) dropped a can of paint over a visiting maester, when Lulu had dared him to. And then there was the time when they had decided to cut each others hair. They had already had great fun snipping away at his and Chappus hair, and was just about to start Lulu's when they had been discovered.  
  
"Actually, it's probably a good thing we were found out, or I doubt she'd have half as much hair as she does now, ya." He thought, gazing at Lulu's extremely long braids. He could help but admire them, the way that they would spill out on the ground, creating little black spirals in the sand around her. She really was a beautiful sight. But recently, Lulu had looked exhausted, and ill. She looked even paler, and Wakka was sure that she was losing weight. Huge black bags were haunting her eyes, and she was constantly looking sad. No one else seemed to have noticed, they all still saw the same old Lulu. But Wakka was sure that no one else in Spira knew Lulu quite as well as he did.  
  
"Dammit. It hurts to see her looking like this." He thought angrily.  
  
Wakka longed to do something, to take away her pain.  
  
"You OK, Lu?" he asked reaching out with his hand, and placing it reassuringly on her shoulder. Lulu jerked, startled at the sudden gesture.  
  
"Don't!" she snapped harshly, and slapped his hand away.  
  
"Jeez! Sorry already!"  
  
"Tidus is right though." Lulu said, gracefully standing up. "The tide will come in on us if we hang about here any longer."  
  
"Huh? Oh yeah." Wakka slowly got up off the ground. "Anyway, don't you mind Rikku, ya. If you don't want to come, it's cool! You don't gotta come! Don't let them kids push you into it or anything!"  
  
Lulu turned her back and began walking to the village.  
  
"Uh, yeah so if you didn't want-"  
  
"I want to go." Lulu cut him off.  
  
"Uh, Ok. That's cool too." Wakka walked beside the black mage, easily matching her pace. "But Lu?"  
  
"What."  
  
"You sure you're OK?"  
  
Lulu looked at him, and he was sure she was about to tell him something important, but she just turned away from him, and started walking to her small hut.  
  
"Hey Lu! I said, you sure you're- "  
  
"I'm fine." She growled and vanished into her house, slamming the door.  
  
"No." Wakka half whispered, watching the empty space where she had just been. "No.you're not. But you will be. I'll look after you." Wakka said, promising himself. "I will."  
  
Then, feeling rather silly, he turned around and began walking towards his own hut.  
  
************** Heh heh. what will happen? Don't worry, they'll be more Lukka later on ^o^ Anyway, this is my first fanfic, so please give me reviews! Love it, hate it, comments, thoughts.anything (preferably not too many 'hate it's. Thanks for reading! Send all reviews to Lulu_san@hotmail.com  
  
*note, I just adjusted the paragraphs, because Fanfiction.net somehow changed it before.weird..* 


	2. Dreams of old

*******************  
  
Black Dreams, White Dreams By Lulu-san  
  
Chapter 2 - Dreams of old  
  
*******************************  
  
Besaid nights were almost always cold, as the temperature would drop incredibly after the sun set. However, Lulu lay hot and sweating in her twisted sheets, wrapped up in a world of nightmares.  
  
She was standing on Besaid beach, where she had said goodbye to Chappu so many years ago. All of a sudden, the entire beach was surrounded in shadow, and rain began to fall all around her. The sand appeared to have turned black, and the usual sparkling blue sea was glowing a shade of maroon. She was truly alone, not even a faithful moogle by her side. The rain was coming down faster now, slapping against her face and skin. The raindrops were hot, and they burst into small clouds of steam as they hit the sand. Still, she shivered, hugging herself. She was dressed in only the short, thin nightdress that she had put on before she went to sleep that night.  
  
"Lu!"  
  
She turned to face the voice, but the beach was empty.  
  
"Lulu! LU!"  
  
A running figure became visible on the horizon. As it came closer, she could see that it was Wakka. He was frantically running towards her, not even noticing the downpour that was drenching his clothes. He was similarly attired in his bedclothes, and his hair was messed from the rain, and the lack of his blue bandanna. Finally, he approached her breathing heavily from his run.  
  
"Lu! What're doing out here? You'll catch cold, ya C'mon, I gotta take you home!"  
  
He grabbed her hand, and began leading her down the beach.  
  
"Wakka! Wait! Wait, I have to-" she began, trying to free her hand. "I have to-"  
  
"You have to what?" he yelled above the rain. "Can it wait?"  
  
"No!" she yelled back.  
  
"Lu."  
  
Wakka spun himself around and placed his hands on her shoulders.  
  
"Lu.won't you ever learn? You've gotta come inside." He told her. "I promised Chappu I'd look after you. He'd be really pissed if you got a fever, ya."  
  
"You're right." Lulu sighed. "I'm.sorry."  
  
"Heh.s'ok." Wakka smiled down at her, and pulled her into a friendly hug. "Gotta get you dried off though. My hut is closest."  
  
"Thanks." Lulu said, leaning her head against his chest. Suddenly she was looking up into his eyes. His eyes were locked on hers, and she could feel his face getting closer. Soon, they were nose to nose, and she knew what was going to happen. She could feel his ragged breath on her face, and she slowly closed her eyes.  
  
"I think Chappu'd be more pissed if you were about to kiss his fiancée" A new voice cut in.  
  
They sprung apart, both blushing slightly. Lulu looked around for the voice's owner. It sounded so familiar, could it be because it sounded like Wakkas?  
  
"Chappu!" she heard Wakka exclaim.  
  
And there he was. Her lost love, standing there as though he was real. He stepped forward, brushing away his light red hair, and placed a hand on her cheek.  
  
"Hello Lulu."  
  
"No!" She backed away, shaking her head in shock. "You're dead. You died!"  
  
"What's wrong?" he asked. He was still smiling, but his eyes were hard.  
  
"No." she whispered, moving towards Wakka for support.  
  
Chappus eyes swept over the two of them. Now there was no trace of a smile.  
  
"I see. So that's how it is. I never thought you would be that kind of woman, Lulu. Going from one brother to the other. I bet you were really happy when I left. You could finally be together, ya."  
  
"Hey." Wakka shouted. "That's not funny. She was devastated!"  
  
"Shut it, you oaf." Chappu snarled. "She's no better than a wretch on the street. And you! You're even worse."  
  
"That's wrong, Chappu." Lulu tried to say, but her throat kept choking her up.  
  
"Don't bother, Lulu." Chappu said coldly. "I should have never wasted my time with a girl who would betray her dead lover. You live like filth. I bet you never loved me anyway. Better look out Wakka. You never know who she'll be after next."  
  
"You're wrong!" Wakka shouted.  
  
Chappu opened his mouth to reply, but suddenly his eyes glazed over. A small trickle of blood rolled out of his mouth, and down his chin. His face twisted in shock, as blood began to flow from his nose and ears as well. Chappu fell forward, face down in the sand. Lulu covered her mouth in horror, and the sand around the Chappu became red with blood.  
  
"Wakka! We have to do something!" Lulu cried, turning to face the red haired man. "We've got to-"  
  
Lulu stopped short as blood began to trickled from Wakka's mouth as well.  
  
"I'm sorry." he croaked, trying to wipe away the steam of blood before he too collapsed, dead.  
  
Lulu's eyes widened as more bodies appeared on the beach, their faces contorted with fear. Most of were unknown to her, probably Al Bhed or Crusaders, judging by their clothing. But then, as the whole beach became overcome with bodies she began seeing the figures of those she had known, and loved. Yuna, Tidus, Rikku, her own parents, old acquaintances, and even her moogle. The bodies lay strewn over the beach, eyes staring and skin cold.  
  
"Wait." she cried softly, her voice trembling. "Don't leave me alone! Wakka? Chappu?"  
  
Lulu woke up with a sudden jolt. She was hot, and covered in sweat. Even though she felt as though she was burning up, she was trembling and goose bumps covered her pale skin. The way that her sheets had twisted around her told her that she had been thrashing in her sleep.  
  
She got out of her bed and sunk down to the floor, finding comfort in its coolness. She clutched her head with her hands.  
  
"Why?" she thought. "Why that same dream, every night? I can't be in love with Wakka, can I? And what about Chappu?"  
  
She was suddenly overcome with a wave of nausea, and dashed to her small bathroom. Her stomach was lurching, and it felt like the vomiting would never stop. However, all bad things come to an end, and she was soon rinsing her mouth out with water from the sink.  
  
"Dammit. Every night, the same dream, the same feeling and the same disgusting reaction." she mumbled to herself, splashing her face with the cool water.  
  
She looked into the small mirror hanging over her basin. Her reflection stared back, looking straight into her empty eyes. Her soft, black hair was unbraided, and flowed down her back to past her waist. She liked the freedom of her unbound hair, and she let it out every night. Still, every morning, she would be braid it again, completing her daunting appearance.  
  
Lulu spat several times in the sink, and bent down to wash her face again when her knees bent beneath her and she sunk down to the floor. She lay there for several minutes, slumped over the sink, before she half pulled herself towards the wall. She rested her back against the reassuring coolness, and slowly fell into exhausted, dreamless slumber.  
  
************************  
  
I hope you all like it so far.^_^ Anyway, chapter 3 is on it's way! *I've nearly finished it, so look out!* Um, Not much more, but to beg for reviews! 


	3. Scraping the surface

******************  
  
Black Dreams, White Dreams By Lulu-san  
  
Chapter 3 - Scraping the surface  
  
**************************  
  
Wakka arose early the next morning feeling refreshed and energetic. He stretched several times, changed into his bright yellow blitzing outfit, wolfed down some instant porridge and decided to head off for an early morning swim.  
  
The small village of Besaid was peaceful so early in the morning, as most of its residents were still fast asleep. Wakka jogged down the path from his hut to the beach and, feeling especially lively, he sprinted the last 100 meters at full pelt. He immediately waded into the inviting water, enjoying the warm morning sun on his skin as he floated on the waters surface.  
  
"You're certainly full of energy today" he could hear a voice from the beach call.  
  
Wakka smiled as he saw Lulu standing at the edge of the water. He began sloshing his way back to the beach.  
  
"Mornin' Lu!" He grinned, pulling her long braids affectionately.  
  
A grumpy "Mmph." was all she replied, but it was enough for him.  
  
"Mornin' to you too." He chuckled again, prodding the moogle that Lulu was holding.  
  
Lulu couldn't repress a smile at his childish smile. Wakka was almost cute that way, how he always treated her moogles as though they were alive and living.  
  
"Ahh! Gonna be a nice day, ya!" Wakka exclaimed, raising a hand to block the suns glare.  
  
"Like almost every other day on Besaid." Lulu commented dryly.  
  
"Well, that's why we live here, ya!" Wakka smiled, sitting down on the sand.  
  
"Hmm." Lulu turned her head away from Wakka, crossing her arms.  
  
"C'mon Lu, sit down!" Wakka whined, tugging her sleeve like a child. "Lu- uu."  
  
Lulu gave him a cold look.  
  
"Don't ignore me, Lu-uu~" Wakka continued his childish act. "C'mon, show me a smile!"  
  
With the his last sentence, Wakka reached up and forcefully pulled the woman down to the sand, so she landed with a crash on the soft ground below.  
  
"Ow.Wakka!" Lulu complained, rubbing her sore legs. "That.really.hurt"  
  
But when Lulu turned and saw the mischievous smile on the blitzers face, she couldn't help but chuckle softly. She began to laugh softly, trying to suppress her giggles with the back of her hand. Wakka watched with a bemused grin.  
  
"I just said smile!" he told her. "You didn't have to overdo it or anything!"  
  
Lulu smiled at him, and biffed him across the back of his head.  
  
"Lu!?" he exclaimed, faking distress. "How could you? If I'm handicapped in the tournament." They both laughed at the stupidity of the situation.  
  
Lulu liked these moments best, when she could behave immaturely and not be judged for it. She did like spending time with Wakka, but that didn't count as love, did it? Lulu's thoughts circled around in her mind, consuming her attention. Wakka looked on as Lulu began staring into space again, completely oblivious to her surroundings.  
  
"It's weird." He thought to himself. "One moment she's laughing, then a second later she's off in her own world again. But even when she laughs, her eyes are still hollow."  
  
Wakka watched the mage with concern for what seemed like hours, before he gently shook her shoulders.  
  
"Lu?" he softly questioned. "Lu?"  
  
"Wha-?" Lulu looked up at him, confused. "Oh no. I just spaced out again, didn't I?"  
  
"Don't worry about it. I'm just gonna finish my swim, ya?"  
  
Lulu nodded, and Wakka set off for the water again. Suddenly he felt her hand grab his wrist.  
  
"Wait. Wakka, I'm sorry." Lulu said quietly.  
  
"Sorry?" Wakka repeated, baffled. "For what?"  
  
"For everything." She said, almost inaudibly.  
  
"Everything?" Wakka asked. "What's everything? For being my closest friend?" He pulled her into a friendly hug.  
  
"Don't be dumb, Lu. You've got nothing to apologize for! Nothing, you hear me?"  
  
Lulu broke out of the hug, and gave him a small smile.  
  
"Go take your swim, little boy."  
  
"Oi!" Wakka grinned, before heading back out in the water.  
  
Lulu watched him swimming for a while, before heading back to the village.  
  
"Closest friend" she thought bitterly. "Why does that make me so sad?"  
  
Wakka lay floating on his back in the water, the movement of the water caressing his skin.  
  
"Man, what was with that?" he thought to himself. "Sine when did Lu need to be reassured and comforted?"  
  
As far as Wakka could remember, Lulu was always the strong person. She was always the one reassuring him, comforting him and leading them forward. For her to suddenly apologize, and look so unconfident gave him a funny feeling. He was beginning to get really worried about her.  
  
Wakka submerged himself underwater, trying to empty the thoughts from his mind. He lay there, wishing his troubles could melt away into the ocean. As his body was carried in the underwater tides, he stared up at the distorted sky from under the waters surface.  
  
"Lu would like it under here." Wakka thought, as a few of Besaids native fish swam past him. "I wonder why she doesn't swim anymore. Gotta make her one day, ya. Wonder how she'd like Blitz?"  
  
Wakka smiled and shook his head, as his thoughts once again turned to Lulu. He folded his arms behind his head, and slowly closed his eyes.  
  
"I wonder why I always think of her?"  
  
A large grin spread over his face, as a sudden thought flashed in his mind.  
  
"Admit it, ya." He told himself. "You're in love with her. You've always liked her. You've just never let yourself say it before, not even to yourself."  
  
Wakka blushed a little in the water, frowning slightly.  
  
"Chappu wouldn't like this, ya." He thought resentfully. "An' anyway, it's only a one-sided love."  
  
A tight feeling in Wakka's chest alerted him to the need for air. He swam to the surface, and took several deep breaths before making his way back to the shore. It was mid-morning by now, and the sand was warm. Wakka didn't stop to enjoy it though, and he made his way back to his hut.  
  
"Gotta get cleaned up." He thought, running his fingers through his spiky hair.  
  
He stripped off his old blitz uniform, and took a long hot shower. After drying off, he pulled on a pair of loose comfortable pants. Although he still wore his Blitz uniform most of the time, he would often choose just to dress simply and comfortably. Just as he was drying off his shoulders, there was a loud knock on his door. He paused, about to put on his shirt.  
  
"C'mon Wakka! Open up! I know you're in there!" he could hear Rikku yelling. He sighed, and draped the towel over his wet hair.  
  
"Wa-kka!" Rikku was now banging furiously on his door.  
  
"I'm coming, ya!" he called, making his way to the door.  
  
"About time!" Rikku huffed, marching in.  
  
"I was just in the shower!" he protested.  
  
"Aw, Wakka!" Rikku complained. "You could at least get half dressed, y'know. Put on a shirt or something."  
  
"I would've, but there was someone trying to break down my door!" he grinned. Rikku giggled and tossed him some clothes.  
  
"Anyway, what'cha doin' here?" he asked as he pulled on a shirt.  
  
"I came to get you!" she replied. "Everyone's at Yuna's house. We're settling arrangements about the tournament."  
  
"What tournament?" Wakka grinned, adjusting his bandanna.  
  
"Wakka." Rikku growled.  
  
"Ok, Ok, I'm coming, ya." Wakka assured her, pulling on his sandals.  
  
"Well, hurry up then!" Rikku giggled, grabbing his arm and pulling him along.  
  
She practically dragged him to the small hut the Tidus and Yuna shared. Although Tidus and Yuna had never officially announced their engagement, it was automatically assumed that they would wind up together anyway. Sharing a house was just another assumed part of their life.  
  
"Must be nice." Wakka thought to himself.  
  
"We're back!" Rikku announced, barging through the door pulling Wakka with her.  
  
"My, you're so energetic today Rikku!" Yuna giggled.  
  
Lulu and Yuna were sitting at a small table in the middle of the room, and appeared to be playing some sort of game with Lulu's moogle. Lulu would make it walk towards Yuna, who would try to catch it before it ran away again. The whole situation looked extremely comical, as Lulu was motionless, resting her hand in her head and looking bored, while her altar ego was all over the place.  
  
"Hey everyone!" Wakka said, walking over and picking up the squirming moogle. "You're not being a naughty child again, are ya?" Wakka questioned the moogle, tugging its ears. In response, the moogle grabbed the curl of Wakka's hair and pulled it hard.  
  
"Ow!" Wakka laughed, as the moogle jumped from his arms into Lulu's.  
  
"Hey Wakka!" Tidus called, emerging from the connected kitchen.  
  
"Yo!"  
  
"Great! Everybody's finally here!" Rikku said, sitting down next to Yuna and pulling out some papers. She looked up at Wakka and Tidus.  
  
"Sit down!" she ordered.  
  
"Yes, sir!" the two men saluted in sync.  
  
"Ok. Here's the deal. We leave two days before the day of the tournament, and stay for a further two days afterwards." Rikku announced.  
  
"So.that's five days." Yuna confirmed.  
  
"Right! And we'll be taking the ferry to Luca." Rikku added.  
  
"Ferry? What's wrong with the air-ship? It's faster!" Tidus asked.  
  
"We-ll." Rikku said, with an embarrassed giggle. "I asked Dad to take us, but he's got another job at that time."  
  
"I don't mind." Yuna smiled. "Ferry's are fun!"  
  
"Ya, but it'll take a day and a half to get to Luca!" Wakka complained.  
  
"Yeah, well." Rikku said apologetically. "We go on the ferry the day before the first day. We stay on the ferry for one night, and get there in the morning."  
  
"So it's really six days." Lulu said.  
  
"Yeah!"  
  
"Nah, seven. If you include the ride back." Tidus calculated.  
  
"No, silly! Dad can give us a ride back, just not a ride there." Rikku told him. "Is everyone packed?"  
  
"Aw, come off it, Rikku!" Wakka grumbled. "There's still a few days before we go, ya?"  
  
"Only two!" Rikku corrected him. "We meet on Sunday morning, at 11:00, near the pier!"  
  
"It does sound exciting. I wonder if the hotel has a pool?" Yuna wondered.  
  
"It does, it does!" Rikku said, practically bouncing off the walls.  
  
"And other stuff too?" Tidus asked her. "Like a Blitzball practice place? And a spa? And minigolf?"  
  
"Uh huh! Look at the brochure!" Rikku said, tossing him the paper.  
  
"Wow!" Wakka exclaimed, peering over Tidus's, shoulder.  
  
Lulu sat back, watching the noisy scene. It was cute how Wakka and Tidus still got so excited over little things. Even Rikku and Yuna were chatting excitedly. Suddenly, she felt so alone. She was just an onlooker, watching the scene through windows. She never felt a part of the joyousness. She never chose to be.  
  
"I think I'll head home now." She announced, abruptly standing up.  
  
"Huh?" Rikku said, turning to face her. "What'cha say?"  
  
Lulu nodded towards the door and grabbed her moogle, before quietly slipping out. Through the excitement and noise, no one noticed her quiet exit.  
  
Lulu entered her own home, and shut the door. Her house was dimly lit, and extremely bare. The only decoration was a vase of wilting flowers. Wakka had given them to her, telling her that her house needed colour. She had scoffed at him, but still the flowers took their place in the middle of the room. They were getting old, she noticed, and would have to been thrown out soon.  
  
Lulu sat down on the edge of the bed and rested her head in her slender hands. From where she sat she could see into her small closet, and the miniscule amount of clothes that she owned. A few night clothes, undergarments and other casual clothes, besides the unique dress that she always wore. Looking at the small collection depressed Lulu.  
  
"Guess I have to go shopping in Luca" she thought to herself, trying to think optimistically. "I should start packing now".  
  
She rose, and walked over to her closet, unenthusiastically picking up a few garments. Then, not knowing quite where to begin she put them down again.  
  
"Maybe I'll take a walk first." she murmured to herself, and headed off towards the tropical forests of Besiad.  
  
"Anyway, I've still got two more days to get ready." Lulu reasoned to herself, as she walked. "The trip to Luca is ages away..."  
  
**********************  
  
Well, how's it going? Now all the intro stuff is over, I can get into the real juicy stuff of the plot! Yay~! Poor Lulu.she's one of my favourites in FFX. I haven't got much else to say, except chapter 4 is coming up sometime soon, so look out for it! 


	4. Eventful Departures

******************  
  
Black Dreams, White Dreams  
By Lulu-san  
  
Chapter 4 - Eventful Departures  
  
**************************  
  
The next two days past quickly in Besaid and the sun was beginning to rise on the set day. Lulu was fast asleep, having only managed to drop off a few hours before. Troubled and anxious thoughts had been circling in her mind, and she had been unable to fall asleep. And when she was able to finally succumb to slumber, she had dreamt the same troubling nightmare. Thus, Lulu's nights were often broken up and her sleeping patterns disturbed.  
  
Lulu's face was a peaceful mask, as she slept in dreamless exhaustion. She slept as the small stirrings of life began to show in Besiad. She slept as the light poured through every crack in her small house. She slept as people waked past her house, chattering excitedly.  
  
A loud thumping interrupted her sleep, but she rolled over and subconsciously tugged the sheets further over her head.  
  
A high voice was added to the thumping, and as Lulu slowly awoke the words became recognizable.  
  
"Lulu! Lulu!" it was calling. "Are you in there? Open up! Lulu!"  
  
Lulu sat up slowly, pushing away her stray hair. She rubbed her eyes, and pushed off her sheets.  
  
"Lulu! Wake up already!"  
  
"Rikku?" Lulu wondered. "What's she doing here so early?"  
  
Lulu's eyes flicked automatically to the small clock on her bedside table.  
  
It read '11:47'.  
  
She quickly swung her bare legs out of the bed and gazed in dismay at her barren surroundings.  
  
"Oh.sh-"  
  
Thanks to Lulu's constant procrastinating, she had packed.nothing.  
  
"Lulu! Get a move on!" Rikku was impatiently yelling. "The ferry leaves at 12:00!"  
  
Lulu hurriedly stripped off her thin nightdress, and pulled on her favourite dress, the one she had wore on the pilgrimage. And it wasn't an easy dress to put on. She grunted impatiently as the belts twisted inside each other, and the corset strings at the back knotted. Lulu ran her fingers through her hair impatiently. She stopped suddenly. Her hair.She had to do her hair. Lulu groaned inside.  
  
"Why?" she thought in frustration. "Why did I have to sleep in today?"  
  
Although Lulu was extremely quick at braiding, it would still take her at least 10 minutes to do them all. Neglecting her half attached dress, she grabbed a comb and began to work efficiently through the mass of thick ebony hair.  
  
And Rikku wasn't helping.  
  
"Lulu! Lulu! At least speak to me so I know you're not dead in there!" she was yelling and banging on the door.  
  
"I'm coming right now!" Lulu lied as she tied off another braid, while attempting to pull on a stocking at the same time.  
  
"Lu? Are you OK in there?" a different voice called.  
  
Lulu froze, and dropped the pins that she was holding.  
  
"Wa-Wakka?" she mumbled. "Why are you here? Shouldn't you be at the pier?"  
  
"I came to see where you were, ya?" he answered. "Not like you to be late, ya."  
  
"Hurry!" Rikky added.  
  
Lulu finished the last braid, and pulled her hair into a bun at the top of her head, securing it with her many ornaments.  
  
"You two go down!" she ordered. "I'll meet you down there."  
  
Wakka listened to the mage, and turned to Rikku.  
  
"O~kay. Rikku, you do down there, ya, and tell them that we're coming, ok?" He told the young Al Bhed.  
  
"But, what about you? You should go! You run faster!" she complained.  
  
"No. You go now. I'll help to carry Lu's stuff down." He told her.  
  
"Fine." she agreed reluctantly, before dashing off towards the pier.  
  
"Lu?" Wakka asked, knocking on the door again. "I'm coming in, kay?"  
  
"Uhh." Lulu looked up from her mirror. She was just finishing doing her make up, and was attempting to stuff some clothes and books into a small travel bag.  
  
Wakka pushed against the thick wooden door. Unlike most of the residents of Besaid, Lulu chose to have a wooden door instead of the normal cloth type. Wakka had helped her to make it - well, he had made it while she had hovered around giving instructions. She had gotten quite irritated with him after he had carved her name on the front, when she wasn't looking. But he thought it looked cute.  
  
Lulu was just finishing zipping up her bag when Wakka came in.  
  
"Maybe it was a good thing I haven't got much stuff." She thought to herself, looking at the small bag of books and clothes.  
  
"Morning Wakk- what?" she asked him coldly. Wakka was doing a terrible job at suppressing his laughter.  
  
"Your.your dress." He told her.  
  
"Mm?" Lulu looked down. She hadn't gotten around to putting it on properly, and while the bottom half was fitting properly, the corset had twisted around so the back lacing was at the side. Luckily, it wasn't revealing anything.  
  
"You really did sleep in, ya!" he laughed.  
  
"Yes." Lulu said coldly, annoyed at herself. She struggled with the corset, but it just got more twisted.  
  
"Damn."  
  
"Here, let me help!" Wakka said apologetically.  
  
"I can do it!" she snapped.  
  
"Whoa, ok!" he retreated, hands face up in the air.  
  
But no matter how much she struggled, she was stuck.  
  
"Actually." she muttered, annoyed at the stupidity of the situation. "A little help might be ok."  
  
Wakka laughed, and helped her to straighten it out, finally lacing it up at the back.  
  
"See! I'm not all clumsy, ya!"  
  
He bent down to pick up her small bag.  
  
"This all you're taking?" he asked. "Not much."  
  
"It's adequate."  
  
Lulu grabbed her moogle doll from the bed, and shooed Wakka out.  
  
"Aah!" Wakka suddenly exclaimed. "The ferry's about to go!"  
  
"What? It can't be!"  
  
Lulu squinted. She could just make out Rikku's figure, jumping up and down, waving at the furiously.  
  
"C'mon!" Wakka said, grabbing her by the wrist. Together, they ran down to the pier, Lulu nearly falling and braining herself every few steps.  
  
"Slow.slow down!" she panted, as she stumbled again.  
  
"No can do, ya!" Wakka grinned.  
  
"He's really enjoying this!" she thought in angry disbelief.  
  
They reached the pier just as the ferry was leaving.  
  
"Damn." Lulu said breathlessly, wiping her brow.  
  
"It's not over yet, ya!" Wakka said determinedly. "Give me your mog."  
  
Lulu passed the doll over grudgingly.  
  
"What are you going to do?" she demanded.  
  
"Rikku!!" he yelled. "Catch, ya!"  
  
Lulu closed her eyes in horror as Wakka threw over her luggage and her precious doll to Rikku's expectant arms.  
  
"Nice shot!" Rikku called back.  
  
"I am a blitzer, you know!" he stated smugly.  
  
"It's no good though!" Lulu told him, as the ferry drove further and further away. "We'll have to get the next one.  
  
"No, we won't." Wakka chuckled. "It's not that far away. Hup!"  
  
"Wha-" Lulu exclaimed as Wakka scooped her up in his arms as easy as he would a baby.  
  
"She really has lost weight." He thought, surprised at her lightness.  
  
"Wait.this really isn't a good idea. Put me down" Lulu ordered him.  
  
Wakka was supporting her back with one hand, and holding her underneath her knees with the other.  
  
"Hold on, ya!" he told her. "Don't want you falling in!"  
  
Lulu squeezed his neck with her arms, and shut her eyes, fearing the worst. She hated getting wet, especially with her clothes on.  
  
"Here we GO!" Wakka yelled as he took a run up.  
  
Rikku was cheering, Yuna was covering her eyes and Tidus was yelling out unrecognizable encouragements at the top of his lungs.  
  
Wakka jumped.and missed.  
  
Lulu braced herself, preparing for the cold rush that would occur when they hit the water.  
  
It never came. She opened her eyes a little bit, peering through her thick eyelashes. They they were suspended just above the water. Looking up, she saw that Wakka had grabbed onto some wiring of the boat with one hand, while still supporting both their weights with the other.  
  
"Wakka.what are you doing?" she demanded.  
  
"You.hate getting wet, ya? And.it would be embarrassing to be a man-over- board, you know." he said, giving a laugh through clenched teech..  
  
"Wakka, Don't be stupid! You-" Lulu began, but stopped as she noticed his blood drip from the wiring. The wire was slowly cutting through his hand as they were pulled down further and further.  
  
"Wakka!" she gasped.  
  
"Ergh?" Wakka was giving her a confused look.  
  
"I don't care! I'll get wet! You've got the tournament to do, you can't be injured! Don't be an idiot!" she growled.  
  
Suddenly, a thick rope with many knots dropped right in front of Lulus nose.  
  
"We've got you!" Rikku yelled far too happily, waving the other end of the rope. "Grab on."  
  
Wakka let go of the wiring with relief, and immediately grabbed the rope. Rikku and Tidus slowly pulled the two of them up, until they were safely on a solid surface again. Lulu and Wakka collapsed into a flopped sitting position on the ground, while Yuna immediately set about healing Wakkas hand. It was quite a deep cut.  
  
"Don't you ever to that again, you imbecile!" Lulu said harshly, once she had caught her breath. Then her stare softened a little bit.  
  
"Sorry." She said quietly, so that nobody else could hear. "And.thanks, I think. How's you hand?"  
  
"Good." He said, waving the bandaged lump. "Yuna's done a darn good healing spell, it'll be right as rain before the tournament, ya."  
  
"That's good." She said, giving a small smile of relief.  
  
"What were you thinking, Lulu!" Rikku frowned. "You could have missed the ferry."  
  
"Sorry." Lulu said shortly, looking away from the group. Rikku kneeled down in front of the older woman.  
  
"Hey.Are you Ok, Lulu?" she asked, giving her a concerned look.  
  
"I'm fine." She answered coldly. "Where's my doll?"  
  
"Here!" Rikku answered jumping up and tossing Lulu the moogle. "And Tidus put your luggage in your room. We're lucky. We all get separate rooms this time!"  
  
"Ah. Good."  
  
"Right." Rikku said, taking charge. She circled the sitting group, with a smug smile on her face. "We should get there in the early morning tomorrow. Before then, we have the run of the ship and dinner is at 7:30 in the main room. Ok?"  
  
"Oh yeah, that's right!" Tidus said unexpectedly. "Where are the other Aurochs, Wakka?"  
  
"They'll meet us there, or so they said. Cid's giving them a lift later on, I think." Wakka replied.  
  
"So why didn't we go with them, again?" Tidus asked.  
  
"Are you listening!!" Rikku interrupted, scowling.  
  
Lulu abruptly stood up, unable to bear the endless chatter any longer. She was becoming more and more intolerant and unsociable, and that fact alone didn't make her feel any better.  
  
"I'll see you at dinner." She said over her shoulder, as she headed downstairs from the deck to take a look at the room she had been allocated.  
  
"Was it something I said?" Tidus asked, as the group stared after her in silence.  
  
************************** Hello again! Well, originally this chapter was part of chapter 5, but when I realised how long chapter 5 was I had to split it up into two. So that explains why this chapter might seem a bit.incomplete maybe??? I don't know ^_^ Anyway, sorry for taking so long to update! I've been really, really busy! But, now I've gotten back into writing it, I should update more frequently! Oh yeah, and thanks to all those wonderful people who gave me reviews! *Thanks to you guys, I was able to sit down and write this! (hmm, maybe I should put this after chapter 5, the LONG chapter.so read on!* Heh heh, If you want me to update sooner, just give a review! They're such nice things to read! ^_^ 


	5. Broken Angel

******************  
  
Black Dreams, White Dreams  
By Lulu-san  
  
Chapter 5 - Broken Angel  
  
**************************  
  
Later in the day, Lulu stood alone on the deck, relaxing in the quiet of late afternoon. Rikku, Yuna and Tidus had decided to help out in the kitchen, and no doubt Wakka was studying Blitzball techniques somewhere.  
  
They were really in the middle of nowhere now, and all that Lulu could see from her position was stretches of blue water joining the horizon. The sky was turning red as the sun slowly began to set. She sighed, and rested her arms on the side of the railing. It was completely silent, except for the occasional squeal or burst of laughter coming from the kitchen. Lulu smiled grimly. With any luck, the food that Yuna and Rikku prepared might just be edible.  
  
She closed her eyes, and tried to clear her mind. But no matter how many times she tried, images of Chappu and Wakka kept floating into her mind. Giving up entirely, she resorted to simply staring into space, focusing on the fast disappearing sunlight. For a totally unexplainable reason, an old song leapt into her mind. It was an old song that she had sung when she was a child. She had taught Wakka, Chappu and Yuna the song, and the three of them had sung together.  
  
Lulu lowered her gaze from the sky to the sea. The reflection of the water was really quite beautiful.  
  
"How did that song begin again?" she thought, trying to remember the lyrics.  
  
She began to sing softly. Nobody else was out on the deck, and she felt quite alone. Alone enough to sing to herself. Her voice was quiet and pure when she sung and she was surprised at the change. She hadn't even allowed herself to hum since Chappu had died. It had just been another part of grieving.  
  
But now.now it was different.  
  
"Your name is a whisper on the clouds," she sung softly. "When I think of you, I think of your love."  
  
"Forever can wait a while if you would." Another voice joined in from behind, harmonizing with her own.  
  
She spun around to see Wakka smiling foolishly at her.  
  
"I didn't hear you arrive." She said, giving him a reproachful look.  
  
"I haven't heard you sing for years." He replied with a grin. "At least not since.well, you know, ya?" he said softly, joining her at the railing.  
  
"Hmph. I don't exactly make a habit of performing."  
  
"I know." He sighed, leaning his head back and staring at the sky.  
  
They stood there in silence for a while, wrapped up in their own thoughts.  
  
"Oh yeah! That's right! Rikku sent me to tell you that dinners ready a bit earlier than expected. Like, it's ready now, ya." Wakka said suddenly.  
  
"Errgh. Do I have to come?" Lulu said, a small smile spreading over her face.  
  
"You don't want to disappoint them do you? Not when they've worked so hard to make this.unrecognizable disaster? I think that they're serving some meat that I couldn't recognize, something else, something else and a salad. At least, I think it's a salad. It's hard to tell when they burnt the lettuce." Wakka laughed.  
  
"Oh no. Perhaps I should have helped out." Lulu said, beginning to walk down towards the kitchen.  
  
"Maybe not. Maybe this will discourage them." Wakka said wistfully.  
  
"What are you talking about? You and Tidus make far worse food. And Kimahri and Auron? Bleagh. I don't want to remember that." Lulu grumbled, as she approached the kitchen.  
  
"Here goes." Wakka chuckled and opened the kitchen door.  
  
"Aaaah! They're here!!!"  
  
They could hear Rikku's excited yell, but couldn't see her for all the black smoke that was coming out of the kitchen.  
  
Lulu covered her mouth with her sleeve, coughing violently. She made her way though the black smog, to where the two girls were positioned in front of the oven.  
  
"What.have you done?" she demanded, between coughs.  
  
Yuna looked up with a sheepish smile.  
  
"I don't know!" she answered brightly. "It just sort of."  
  
"Spontaneous combustion!" Rikku pitched in from behind.  
  
The two girls looked as though they were covered in battle wounds. There were almost completely covered in soot, and splattered with a mix of ingredients. Rikku appeared to had singed her eyebrows, and was attempting to put them back to normal with a cure spell. Yuna would have been in slightly better shape, had she not been sporting several band-aids on ever finger.  
  
"Right." Lulu said, taking charge. "You two, over there!"  
  
Yuna and Rikku quickly moved out of Lulus way.  
  
Still covering her mouth and nose with her sleeve, Lulu forced open the smoking ovens door, and had to jump out of the way, as it shot flames across the room. She seized the ovens handle and attempted to shut the flaring oven.  
  
She gasped as the heat of the handle seared through her skin, and instantly removed her hand.  
  
Using a combination of magic and common sense, Lulu somehow managed to turn off the oven, and rescue whatever Rikku and Yuna had been cooking.  
  
Finally, she used a quick spell to dissolve the black smoke. Everybody sighed in relief.  
  
"Lu-lu-!" Rikku wailed, running over to hug the mage. "I'm so-so-sorry!"  
  
She tightened her embrace, and sobbed into Lulu's shoulder.  
  
"Rikku!" Lulu said quietly, trying to loosen the young girls grip. "Let go. You're choking me."  
  
Rikku momentarily released her grip, distracted by Lulu's burnt hand.  
  
"Ahh! You hurt your hand!" she cried, grabbing the injured hand to inspect it.  
  
"Huh?" Wakka looked over.  
  
"It's nothing." She said coldly, prising Rikku off. "Shall we eat?"  
  
The food could have been worse. Not much worse though. The two girls had somehow managed to scrape together some sort of curry, but whatever had been in the oven had melted beyond repair.  
  
"I didn't think that eggs would melt!" Lulu overheard Rikku telling Yuna. "And who would have thought that beef could go green if soaked in vinegar for too long!  
  
Lulu immediately took a closer look at what she had thought had been broccoli. Next to her, Wakka was spitting something orange into a tissue.  
  
Unable to eat anything else, Lulu walked over to the sink and began to wash up. Her hand still hurt a little, but the pain was beginning to ease away. If she used a cure spell it, it would certainly be completely healed by tomorrow, but she disliked using healing spells unless she really needed them.  
  
"Here, I'll finish up. You go sit back down, Lu." Wakka was saying.  
  
"What?"  
  
"I said, I'll finish up." He repeated, taking the sponge out of her injured hand.  
  
"Hey! You really did hurt yourself!" he said, as he noticed the burn mark on her palm.  
  
"You Ok?"  
  
She nodded.  
  
"Unco." He teased.  
  
She gestured at his own bandaged hand.  
  
"And what are you then?"  
  
"Lulu! Wakka! Stop fighting!" Yuna scolded them, with a grin. "Or I'll send you to your rooms!"  
  
Lulu gave Yuna a small smile.  
  
"I was actually thinking of heading there now. It wouldn't hurt to get a full night's sleep. Goodnight." She said, as she headed out of the kitchen.  
  
"But it's only 6:30!" Rikku called after her.  
  
There was no reply.  
  
Lulu shut the door to her cabin with a sigh of relief. She knew that the others thought her behavior was odd. Somehow though, her strange behavior was always explained by Wakka as 'Don't worry, that's just Lu. She'll be fine, ya." She could disappear for days, be kidnapped by strange aliens or become a table and it would still be "Don't worry, that's just Lu's way. She can take care of herself'.  
  
But recently, Wakka would just stare into space, saying "Hmm.", whenever her behavior was called into question.  
  
Then again, she had known Wakka for what seemed like forever. If there was anyone in this world who could pick up on ever the slightest change in her mood, it was Wakka.  
  
Lulus eyes swept around the cabin. The room was small, warm and comfortable. The only furniture was a double bed, a comfortable armchair next to the bed, and a mirror. There was also a connected bathroom. She reached down and kicked off her boots, also pulling off her stockings. Even in Besaid, she was always careful not to bring dirt into her house. With a quick flick of her wrist, she pulled out her many hair accessories, letting the tight bun uncoil. She began the slow unbraiding of her hair, coming through the fine, dark hairs systematically. When at last it was done, she unlaced her dress and let it fall in a heap to the floor. Too exhausted to pick it up, she slowly pulled on her nightdress. Stepping over the collection of crumpled clothes, slipped into the comfortable bed, allowing the nagging need to sleep take over.  
  
"The same dream. The same dream again." Lulu watched with irritation as the dream that had haunted her for months began to take its course again. She could always recognize a dream when it began, but as soon as she was wrapped up in its events, she could no longer tell the dream from reality.  
  
After Lulu's sudden departure from dinner, the group had simply chatted and nibbled on pre-packaged (and safe) food, quite undisturbed by Lulu's unusual exit.  
  
Still, Wakka was worried. He sat between Tidus and what had been Lulu's (now empty) seat, chewing anxiously on a fingernail. Sure, Lulu may be anti- social at the best of times, but she had never been quite so distant. At least, not with him.  
  
As he sat wrapped up in his own world, Yuna and Rikkus animated conversations washed right over him. He was completely tuned out, until he realized that Tidus was talking to him.  
  
"Wakka! Hey man, are you listening?"  
  
"Wha- oh yeah, course, ya." He said, nodding his head vigorously.  
  
"You weren't, were you." Tidus grinned.  
  
"Ah, well.no." Wakka scratched the back of his head with embarrassment.  
  
"Tidus?" Yuna was calling. "Try one of these! They're not bad!"  
  
She tossed him a packet of dry biscuits. Tidus pulled a face as he chewed.  
  
"Yeah. Just like cardboard." He whispered to Wakka, rolling his eyes.  
  
"Oh wowzie! Is that the time!" Rikku was exclaiming in horror. "Hey Yuna, it's already 11:30! The boat docks at 8:00 tomorrow! We don't want to sleep in, and not get off!"  
  
"Hmm?" Yuna replied sleepily. "I suppose so."  
  
Tidus got up and stretched.  
  
"Well, I guess I'll see you all in the morning. C'mon, Yuna."  
  
"Night." Yuna called back, as the couple ascended the stairs, leaving Rikku and Wakka alone.  
  
Wakka followed their lead, and was halfway up the stairs when he heard Rikku call,  
  
"Wait!"  
  
"Huh?" He turned around, to find her giving him a very serious look.  
  
"Is Lulu really, truly alright?" she asked him. "It's just that you're closest to her, so I thought you would know and-"  
  
Wakka gave her a sad smile and continued climbing the stairs.  
  
"Goodnight, Rikku." He called over his shoulder.  
  
Even if Rikku had said nothing, Wakka was determined to check up on Lulu. She had been acting funny recently, and now he knew that it wasn't his imagination. And it wasn't just a woman thing, or else Rikku wouldn't have been so worried. Stopping outside her cabin door, he knocked quietly.  
  
There was no answer.  
  
"Lu?" he called softly.  
  
There was still no answer.  
  
"It's Wakka. I'm coming in, ok?"  
  
He pushed open the unlocked door slowly, and bent his head around the corner.  
  
"Lu?"  
  
The room was dark, and for a moment he thought that she wasn't there. But just before he reached for the light switch, he caught sight of her.  
  
She was fast asleep.  
  
Lulus soft black hair framed her face, and lay in wavy locks across the pillow. Some of it even draped over the edge of the bed causing spiral patterns on the floor. Her features were relaxed and beautifully calm. It was almost like her pale skin glowed in it's own light. She lay on her back, with one hand upturned, resting on the pillow, next to her face. But, the most noticeable change was her eyes. The hair she normally combed over her left eye had been brushed aside, and both her eyes were clearly visible. She had thick black lashes, which fluttered every now and again as she slept.  
  
She looked like an angel.  
  
Wakka could feel his heart beating faster, and the colour rising in his cheeks. She was so incredibly beautiful, that he felt uneasy and oafish in the same company. He moved closer, until he could see the gentle rise and fall of her chest as she breathed.  
  
Wakka sighed in relief. She seemed all right. She was alive, breathing and fast asleep. Maybe he had been worrying too much. Maybe he didn't know her as well as he thought he did. Maybe he should had just let things be. Maybe-  
  
"No."  
  
Wakkas thought stream was interrupted as Lulu slowly began to talk in her sleep.  
  
"No.that's wrong."  
  
Lulu's features tensed up, and she gripped the blankets so tightly that her polished fingernails tore small rips in the fabric.  
  
"Don't." she mumbled shakily, her body beginning to tremble. Wakka watched in horror as she began to thrash around in the bed.  
  
"Please.stop." she called, clutching at the air, while still trembling violently.  
  
Wakka stood frozen, not knowing how to react. She was obviously having a horrible nightmare, and was obviously in a lot of pain. Maybe not physically but mentally. He watched uncertainly, wishing he knew what to do. It was awful to watch, and he felt extremely uncomfortable.  
  
But it broke his heart when she started to cry.  
  
She hugged her knees to her chest, and whimpered softly. He could see tears streaming down her face, and she quietly sobbed into her hands. Every now and then she would make a choking noise in her throat, each time nearly scaring Wakka to death.  
  
If Wakka had been unable to move before, he was completely frozen now. He could only watch as she began to cry louder, her body now shaking. Her trembling arms were covered in sweat.  
  
He couldn't watch anymore. Forcing his body to move, he clamored onto the bed and gently shook her shoulders.  
  
"Lu.wake up. Wake up!" he whispered.  
  
Her eyes snapped open, her red eyes looking directly into his brown ones. She took a few raspy breaths, and sat up suddenly. Wakka fell backwards, so that he was sitting at one end of the bed, she at the other.  
  
They stared at each other in silence, their eyes locked. Lulu looked away first, first looking down, then to the side, as though her brain was trying to process the current situation. Finally, she looked up at him.  
  
"What." she said, her voice still shaking. She took a deep breath and started again, this time with a sterner, more 'Lulu-ish' voice.  
  
"What are you doing here?"  
  
Wakka opened his mouth to explain but no words came out.  
  
Suddenly Lulu's body gave a violent lurch. She covered her mouth with both hands, praying to keep it down. She felt nauseous, and the room was spinning. She took a few deep breaths, and closed her eyes. She retched again, still covering her mouth.  
  
Wakka was giving her a concerned look.  
  
"Lu, maybe you should just-"  
  
He never finished that sentence.  
  
Lulu suddenly swung her legs over the side of the bed and stood up, wobbling a little. Wakka watched nervously, reaching out to catch her if needed. Her legs suddenly buckled, and she dropped down to her knees. She retched again, and then vomited. She tried to suppress it with her hands, but it was no good. She squeezed her eyes shut in shame, hating herself for looking so unstable. But if she had expected Wakka to be clumsy, or un-helpful or ever just plain gob- smacked, she was wrong.  
  
He gently placed one arm around her hip, the other on her shoulder and helped her to her feet.  
  
"It's alright now." he said kindly, doing his best to reassure her. "It's over now. You're safe now."  
  
He helped her to the bathroom, supporting her all the way.  
  
When Lulu had finished cleaning herself up, she took a deep breath and walked out to where Wakka was sitting on her bed, waiting. The moment she walked in, he jumped up and walked over to her.  
  
"Are you alright now?" he asked, full of concern. "I was really worried."  
  
She nodded.  
  
"Thanks for cleaning up." she said, avoiding his gaze.  
  
"No problem. Still, I didn't think that Rikku's and Yuna's food was that bad." He chuckled.  
  
"That's not it." She said coldly.  
  
"I know." Wakka said quietly. "I know."  
  
There was an uncomfortable silence.  
  
"How long were you there for?" Lulu demanded suddenly.  
  
"Ah.erm, well." Wakka stammered, scratching his head. "Well, ya know.um.from the beginning."  
  
There was another uncomfortable silence.  
  
Wakka looked across at his childhood friend. She was looking away. Through the thin fabric of her nightdress he could see the true outline of her figure. She was so delicate, fragile almost. Besides of that, she was extremely thin. Painfully thin. Without her intimidating outfit, or her strong personality mask, she could almost be another person.  
  
Lulu noticed Wakka looking at her. Looking at her body. She also looked down, suddenly self-conscious of what she was wearing. Her nightdress was made of a thin, white material. It wasn't see-through or revealing, but it wasn't exactly like the outfits she would normally wear in public. It came down to mid thigh, and had no sleeves, just thin straps. There was a small amount of lace trimming at the top and bottom. She wasn't going to waste time being embarrassed though.  
  
"Hold on below!" she could hear an unfamiliar voice suddenly calling from above deck.  
  
"Wha-" Wakka yelled in confusion, as the room suddenly threw them backwards. It seemed that the ferry had hit a massive wave, and had almost rolled on its side. Almost as if in slow motion, Wakka could see objects sliding past him, as the room tipped on an angle.  
  
Suddenly, Lulu crashed into him, having lost her balance. He caught her easily, holding onto her wrists to support them both.  
  
"Sorry about that, folks!" The captain called apologetically. "Won't happen again."  
  
"Phew." Wakka said, grinning with relief.  
  
Lulu started to pull away from him, but he didn't let go. Wakka frowned, and tightened his grip on her wrist.  
  
"I knew it!" he growled, holding up her wrist as if it was proof. "You have lost weight."  
  
"Let go!" she snarled, wrenching her hand from his.  
  
"Hey hey! I'm worried about you alright!" Wakka said angrily, raising his voice.  
  
"Shh!" Lulu hissed, gesturing to the other rooms.  
  
"Oh right. Sorry." He apologized, but he still frowned.  
  
"You had better leave now." She said coldly, pointing to the door.  
  
Wakka shook his head.  
  
"I'm not going until I know you're alright."  
  
"Fine! If you're not going, then I'm going to sleep." Lulu said harshly, heading towards the bed.  
  
"Fine with me." He smiled.  
  
"You're still going to stay?" she demanded, turning to face him.  
  
"Yup."  
  
"Fine." Lulu was obviously determined not to lose the argument. She pulled back the blankets and lay down. "Good night."  
  
"Night."  
  
Wakka walked over to the armchair beside the bed and sat down.  
  
"You'll need someone here if it happens again, ya." he told her quietly.  
  
"It never happens more than once a night." Came her muffled reply.  
  
"More than.You mean this is a recurring dream?" he demanded angrily. "And you never told me? How long has it been going on for? No wonder you're losing weight!"  
  
"Long enough." Lulu answered in a tired voice. "I'm going to sleep now."  
  
There was silence for a long time.  
  
"Lu?" Wakka finally asked quietly. "Hey.you're not really asleep, are you?"  
  
He bent over her. She was indeed, sleeping peacefully.  
  
"Oh man." He chuckled to himself, sitting back down in the armchair and resting his hand on the bed.  
  
He heard Lulu sigh peacefully and then roll over so that she was facing him. He felt a soft warmth on his hand, and looked down to see her hand clasped over his.  
  
"Hey, Lu!" he mumbled in amusement, attempting to slide his hand out from under her own.  
  
But she just held on harder.  
  
"C'mon. Don't be silly, ya." He told her quietly, still trying to prise her fingers of his hand. As she tightened her grip, he finally gave up.  
  
"I guess it doesn't hurt to stay like this for a while." he whispered to himself, and slid his fingers through hers.  
  
However, 'for a while' evaporated as he slowly drifted into sleep, their hands still clasped.  
  
******************************** Sorry about the length of the chapter! I kind of got carried away! Waah! I feel really bad for Lulu! But don't worry! Things will get better for her - I promise! ^_^ I've been listening a lot of 'The Brilliant Greens' music lately, I really love them! Also, how cute is that song 'All the Way' from the FFX vocal collection! ^o^ Oh yeah! Speaking of music, the music that kind of inspired this chapter is the song 'Breathing' by Lifehouse, check it out! I think it kind of suits Wakka and Lulu.not necessarily lyric-wise, but the song/tune.sigh~ I love that song. Hmm, maybe this chapter was too angsty/graphic.send me a review, tell me what you think! I'd love to hear! 


	6. The art of toast making

******************  
  
Black Dreams, White Dreams  
By Lulu-san  
  
Chapter 6 - The art of toast making  
  
**************************  
  
For the first time in months, Lulu awoke feeling rested and healthy. The first thing she noticed was warmth spreading from her hand. The second thing she noticed was that she was not alone.  
  
Her eyes slowly fluttered open, and she noticed Wakka sleeping peacefully in the armchair by her bed. She froze as her mind slowly registered the previous nights events. But no matter how hard she thought, she couldn't remember why they were holding hands. Somehow though, she felt far too warm and comfortable to move.  
  
"Besides." she thought to herself peacefully. "He's fast asleep. Best not to wake him".  
  
Her eyelids began to gently close again and she slowly dozed off.  
  
When Wakka awoke, the first thing he noticed was the aching pain in his back.  
  
"Aarrgh." he thought. "Why the hell did I sleep sitting up?"  
  
He slowly opened his eyes.  
  
"Where the hell am I?" he thought suddenly, before he had a chance to remember. But then he saw the sleeping figure of the woman beside him.  
  
"Aaahh! What' happened.nothing happened, right? Nothing happened right? Right? I didn't do anything, did I? I couldn't have.I wouldn't have.ya, nothing happened" Wakka reassured himself, as he remembered the previous night.  
  
"I should probably go before she wakes up." he decided quickly, trying not to think of the nasty spells he was sure she could use on him if she awoke.  
  
However, he just couldn't muster up the strength to get up. After all, he was warm, comfortable, and he just couldn't bear to ruin the moment.  
  
"Besides." he thought, looking down kindly at his old friend. "Better to let her get some rest, ya. After all, she hasn't had much of it recently."  
  
He settled back in his chair, and closed his eyes.  
  
--------------------------  
  
"Luuuuuuuuuu- Luuuuuuuu-"  
  
Both Wakka's and Lulu's eyes snapped open simultaneously.  
  
"Wha." Wakka mumbled groggily, shaking his head to clear it.  
  
"Sh!" Lulu whispered harshly, snatching her hand away quickly.  
  
"LuLuuuu! Are you up? Are you here?"  
  
Rikku was outside the door, knocking repeatedly and yelling.  
  
"Does she make a habit of this." Wakka complained pointedly.  
  
"Shut it!" Lulu snapped, trying not to raise her voice.  
  
"Lulu? It's Rikku?" Rikku called through the door.  
  
Quick as a flash, Lulu was out of bed.  
  
"Get under!" she hissed at Wakka, pointing to underneath the bed.  
  
"Wha? Why?" he asked.  
  
"It looks bad." She said, referring to him with a sharp flick of her head. "People might get the wrong idea".  
  
"Ahhh.I see." Wakka said, scratching the back of his head. "The wrong idea, huh."  
  
"Hurry up." Lulu demanded.  
  
"Sorry Lu." Wakka said with a hint of embarrassment, before crouching down and sliding underneath the bed.  
  
"Lulu??? I'm coming in, kay?" Rikku yelled.  
  
"What am I doing." Wakka groaned to himself, trying his best not to swallow the centuries of gathered dust.  
  
Rikku burst through the door with an overabundance of energy.  
  
"Good morning!" she greeted Lulu cheerfully.  
  
Lulu had sat down on the edge of the bed, and was pretending to be very busy combing her hair.  
  
"Good morning, Rikku." She answered coldly. "Do you want something?"  
  
"Geez! Don't be such a grumbly-boots!" Rikku told her, sounding peeved. "Well, yeah. There is something actually.Uwaaahh! Wow!"  
  
Rikku broke off distracted, and sat down next to her, patting Lulu's hair in awe.  
  
"You look so pretty with your hair undone!" she sighed in awe. "You should wear it like this all the time."  
  
"No. It's too much trouble." Lulu shook her head in disapproval, causing the long waves to sway gently around her face.  
  
"I don't think so." Rikku decided. "It's worth it."  
  
"Anyway, you wanted something?" Lulu prompted, getting uncomfortable at the line of conversation.  
  
"Oh yeah! Um, have you seen Wakka?" Rikku asked.  
  
Under the bed, Wakka muffled a surprised cough but Lulu maintained her cool mask.  
  
"No.I can't say I have."  
  
"Oh.that's too bad. I thought he might be in here with you." Rikku explained. "You see, I've been around the whole ship looking for him. He's nowhere, and here's the weird thing. I went into his room, and his bed is still made and everything is just like it was yesterday."  
  
"Oh really?" Lulu asked, faking surprise.  
  
"So that means he didn't got to his room last night!" Rikku said, chewing on a fingernail.  
  
"He might just have been extra neat." Lulu offered, trying to distract Rikku's theories.  
  
"No, I don't think so. This is Wakka we're talking about, remember!!" Rikku said, grinning. "So, you haven't seen him?"  
  
"Sorry.can't help you there." Lulu lied. "Have you tried all around the ship?"  
  
Rikku nodded.  
  
"Everywhere? I mean, you can't have checked the men's toilets, right?" Lulu questioned. "I mean, he might have been there."  
  
"Oh! I forgot! Rikku said excitedly. "I'll go check now!"  
  
"Uh..Rikku? That might not be such a good idea."Lulu began, but Rikku was already out the door.  
  
"That girl." Wakka grumbled, extracting himself from under the bed. "She is obsessed with waking people up.or banging on their doors.or banging DOWN their doors, ya."  
  
"She might come back." Lulu told him. "You had better go now, before she comes back."  
  
"Right." Wakka agreed. "Uh, but where can I say I was?"  
  
"Say you woke up early, went for some morning exercise, and was just having a shower." Lulu quickly told him. "Now, go."  
  
"Man you're good at making excuses.Ok, ok. I'm going, ya."  
  
Wakka slipped out from the room. Lulu could hear him padding quickly down the passage. It was only then that it occurred to her that perhaps she should have thanked him or apologized or something. But it was probably too late for all that. She wasn't even sure why she was so afraid that someone would find out that they had spent the night together. After all, they were just childhood friends.  
  
A cold breeze swept through the room, and she shivered. Time to get changed.  
  
----------------------------------  
  
Lulu made her way down to the kitchen, dreading whatever creation Rikku was going to serve up. She pushed open the door to the distinguished smell of.  
  
"Toast, Lu?"  
  
Wakka was standing by the toaster, eagerly feeding the bread in. Rikku was hovering next to him, but Yuna and Tidus were yet to appear.  
  
Lulu wandered over to inspect the toast, and picked up a piece.  
  
"It's not.burnt." She commented.  
  
"Ya!" Wakka grinned, passing her a glass of juice. "What do you want on it?"  
  
Lulu busied herself with finding the various toppings, while Rikku was bouncing around excitedly.  
  
"Wow~!" she said, peering over Wakka's toast creations. "How did you get so good?"  
  
"Are you kiddin'?" Wakka said in disbelief. "The question is, why are you so bad!"  
  
"We-ll, I guess I never had a mother to teach me how! Yeah! And that explains Yuna too!" Rikku told him.  
  
"Doesn't work. What about Lu? She didn't have a mama either, and she's doin' ok." Wakka pointed out.  
  
"Hmm. that's true. And you didn't have a mum either, and you can make toast!" Rikku said enviously.  
  
Lulu said nothing. She always clammed up when it came to conversations about parents. She could only remember hers a little.  
  
"Morning."  
  
The conversation was broken up by the entrance of a very sleepy Yuna.  
  
"Good morning, sleepy head!" Rikku called, giving her a bright smile.  
  
"What's there to be so happy about this early?" Tidus grumbled, joining the group.  
  
"Well, we're getting to Luca this morning.in a few hours, actually!" Rikku told him smugly.  
  
"So what." Tidus moaned, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. "I could have gotten a few more hours slee-p."  
  
Tidus slumped into a chair and let his head droop onto the table. He began to snore softly.  
  
"Lazy bum." Wakka commented, dropping a piece of hot toast in front of Tidus's nose.  
  
"Good job on the toast, Wakka." Yuna smiled, sitting down next to Tidus.  
  
"Heh heh.it is good toast, ya." Wakka grinned smugly, sitting down.  
  
"Enough with the toast." Lulu complained, also dropping into a vacant chair.  
  
"Right! Let's eat!" Rikku said, already devouring her first piece of toast.  
  
The group ate breakfast in silence, until Yuna attempted some sort of conversation.  
  
"So, uh.did everybody sleep well?" she asked.  
  
Lulu and Wakka nodded evasively, getting a suspicious look from Rikku.  
  
"Well, I didn't sleep very well at all!" Rikku said grumpily. "I kept hearing noises."  
  
"What kind of noises?" Lulu asked, trying to keep her voice casual.  
  
"I dunno.weird noises." Rikku said, toying with her fifth piece of toast. "Kind of like.I dunno, a dog being sick or something."  
  
Wakka was overcome with a sudden coughing fit, but Lulu quickly kicked him under the table.  
  
"Dog, huh?" Wakka choked.  
  
"Were you all ok last night?" Rikku asked, staring pointedly at Lulu.  
  
Lulu was about to launch into a complete denial with some complicated excuses, when Yuna piped up.  
  
"Oh sorry, Rikku." She smiled apologetically. "I didn't realize I woke you up. I got a little bit sea-sick last night.there was a big wave, or something."  
  
Lulu quickly shut her open mouth, and avoided Rikku's inquisitive gaze.  
  
"Right.You ok now, Yunie?" Rikku asked.  
  
"Yup." Yuna laughed embarrassedly. "Sorry about that. Tidus was really helpful."  
  
"I'm done." Lulu announced, stacking her empty plates in the sink. "I'll see you all on deck."  
  
"There is definitely something up with her." Rikku said thoughtfully. "What do you think, Wakka?"  
  
Wakka grinned and reached over to pull Rikku's nose hard.  
  
"Eyaaaaa!!! It hurts! Let gooooo!!!" Rikku squealed, falling backwards off her chair.  
  
"I think you should mind your own business, sticky-beak!" Wakka laughed.  
  
"So you DO know something!! I AM right, aren't I!" Rikku exclaimed, clambering back into her chair.  
  
"Don't look at me!" Wakka said evasively. "I think I'll go get packed and ready to go now"  
  
"Why? After all, you never got the chance to get unpacked, did you!" Rikku said smugly.  
  
"Why you..snooper!!!" Wakka laughed as he walked up the stairs towards the deck.  
  
-----------------------------------  
  
Wakka rested his arms on the deck and watched Luca come into view on the horizon. He sighed and closed his eyes, shutting off the bright sunlight. He was feeling unbelievably troubled, the main problem being Lulu. Sure, knowing that he was in love with her (a blush spread over his cheeks) helped ease the confusion a little, but he just couldn't understand her behavior at all. Then, there was the coming blitzball tournament.  
  
He sighed again, and rested his head over his arms.  
  
"You look like the world is crashing over your head!" he heard Yuna say kindly from behind him. Wakka turned around and smiled at her.  
  
"Yeah.I guess that's what it feels like, anyway."  
  
Yuna joined him at the railing.  
  
"It's such a nice day! I can't wait to see where Rikku has booked us in to!" Yuna said happily.  
  
"Yah." Wakka agreed, trying to sound enthusiastic.  
  
The two stood there in silence as Luca grew closer and closer.  
  
"Would you like to tell me what's on your mind?" Yuna asked him gently.  
  
"It's a long story." Wakka said, scratching the back of his head. "And we don't got a lot of time before we get to Luca."  
  
"True." Yuna nodded. "No such thing as an abbreviated version?"  
  
"Uh uh. Sorry."  
  
"It's Ok. But, promise me this!! You have to tell me when we get there, ok? I'm worried about you.and Lulu of course." Yuna said, poking Wakka in the side. "You're both acting so strange, you had better tell me if I can help. Promise, ok?"  
  
"Ok, ok! I promise, ya!" Wakka chuckled.  
  
"Promise what?" Rikku interrupted cheerfully. "What are you two talking about?"  
  
"Oh, nothing really." Yuna told her with a smile.  
  
"Liar." Rikku grumbled. "Nobody tells me anything"  
  
"Are we there yet?" Lulu called, appearing at the top of the stairs that led down to the rooms.  
  
"Yep!" Rikku grinned, bouncing from side to side, as the ship rolled into one of the Luca ports. "Ready for some serious fun, everyone?"  
  
"Ugh. Does anyone else spot a serious flaw in the sentence?" Tidus called, arriving from the other side of the deck.  
  
"It sounds good to me." Yuna smiled, giving him a peck on the cheek.  
  
"Argh, you two! Save it for later, lovebirds!" Wakka chuckled, nearly knocking Tidus over with an enthusiastic pat on the back.  
  
The gangplank rolled down with a thud, and Rikku bounced excitedly down it. She turned and waved to the group.  
  
"Okay!!! Let's GO!!" she called happily.  
  
****************************************************************  
  
WOW! An UPDATE! *faints*..oooh, what will happen in Luca? Lot's of stuff! Review to find out!!! It's gonna be exciting.all these chapters have sort of been introductory, and now the real story begins!!!! Sorry about the lack of updates, guys!!! I didn't get many reviews, and sort of felt that no-one wanted to read it.then I forgot a bit about it.then I was busy with other stuff.and then I.*dah dah dah* got a really nice review, and thus I had to update. Trust me on this, when you review, I write! It's just the way it works! Anyway, sorry about the short-ness of this chapter. It's just a sort of comedic chappie, introducing Luca. Don't many people like Wakka/Lulu fics? It's just that there aren't many out there that actually really focus on the pair! And they're so cute too!!! Well, I will be updating more often, so review and I'll do my best to write lots more (that is if you want me too.) See you soon!! Lulu-san 


	7. Double Confusion!

******************  
  
Black Dreams, White Dreams  
By Lulu-san  
  
Chapter 7 - Double Confusion!  
**************************  
  
It was one of those perfect Luca days. The sea seemed to reflect the cloudless blue sky, and a salty breeze gently sailed through the portside city. The group walked through the city, enjoying simply being there. Of course they were trying to track down the hotel, and Rikku was doing a spectacular job of getting them lost.  
  
"It's got to be here somewhere." she complained after asking directions for the fourth time.  
  
"Of course it's here somewhere." Tidus said, the tone of his voice no happier. "Unless you've booked us into an imaginary hotel.again."  
  
"It wasn't imaginary!!" Rikku frowned, turning the map over. "It wasn't my fault it was demolished the day before we arrived."  
  
"Whatever." Tidus mumbled, resting his hands behind his head.  
  
"Could we please stick with finding this hotel, existent or not?" Lulu interrupted. "Let me see the map, Rikku."  
  
Rikku reluctantly handed it over and within minutes Lulu had navigated them straight to the front door of the hotel.  
  
"And who says women can't read maps!" Tidus said appreciatively, giving Lulu a enthusiastic pat on the shoulder.  
  
"What a hotel!" Wakka exclaimed craning his neck to take in the whole thing.  
  
It was a mansion-like resort which lay just between the beach and the city (Ironically it was only a block or two away from where they had first gotten off the ferry).  
  
"Rikku, you sure did pick a great hotel this time!" Yuna smiled.  
  
"Yah.might almost make up for all the horror hotels we stayed at in the past." Wakka chuckled.  
  
"Oh, shut up." Rikku snorted, before giving them all an excited grin. "Shall we go and get booked in."  
  
"No, I'd rather just stand out here and look at it all night." Tidus said sarcastically, which resulted in Rikku dumping her backpack on his head.  
  
"You can carry my luggage for that." She said with a mischievous smile, before entering the massive hotel. Yuna gave Tidus a 'you asked for it' look and the two of them followed Rikku inside.  
  
"What do you think is going on?"  
  
The group watched from a distance as Rikku rather animatedly spoke with the receptionist. They couldn't hear what she was saying, but her actions were certainly telling them that there was some sort of problem.  
  
"You don't think her tickets were outdated?" Yuna asked worriedly.  
  
"I knew it was too good to be true." Tidus said, sighing depressively.  
  
"Nah.it's not that.." Wakka said slowly.  
  
In the distance Rikku was scratching the back of her head thoughtfully, before giving the receptionist a bright smile and signing a form on the desk.  
  
"Oooh, something's happening" Yuna exclaimed, as the receptionist handed Rikku a set of keys from under the desk.  
  
"He says that he can show us to our room now!" Rikku called, beckoning them over.  
  
"What a relief." Wakka and Tidus both sighed.  
  
"Room." Lulu muttered to herself thoughtfully as they followed their guide into a lift. "Not rooms"  
  
She was afraid that she had a very good idea of what Rikku had been talking about with the receptionist.  
  
After they walked through what seemed like a labyrinth of rooms, stairs and corridors, their guide finally stopped them outside a door.  
  
"Ah, here we are!" he said. "Room 208. I hope you have a pleasant stay here"  
  
He opened the door, and Lulu followed the group in cautiously.  
  
"Wooow!!!"  
  
Rikku and Yuna were already pressing their noses up against two large, glass windows revealing a spectacular view of the city.  
  
"Amazing!" Yuna said breathlessly, staring around the elegant room. Apartment was probably a better word though, as it seemed to be filled with every appliance or furniture that you could every need.  
  
"I don't believe it!" Tidus exclaimed happily, already exploring the kitchen. "There's a waffle maker here."  
  
"Don't get any ideas now, Rikku" Wakka warned, cutting her excitement short. "Only people who can cook should be allowed into the kitchen."  
  
"Harsh." Rikku grinned.  
  
"I've found the bathroom!"  
  
Rikku, Wakka and Tidus raced to where Yuna had called from.  
  
"Wow." Rikku gaped. "I sure picked a fancy place this time, huh."  
  
The bathroom consisted of two rooms, the first being a plush laundry/changing room. It even included seats, a small table and separate clothes baskets. The second room had a huge bath/spa and a shower completely surrounded by sparkling glass.  
  
"Lulu, you gotta come and see this!" Wakka yelled.  
  
But Lulu had already taken that time to explore the balcony and the rest of the living room. She had to agree with Rikku that it had a pretty spectacular view. The only thing left to see were the bedrooms. As Rikku, Yuna, Tidus and Wakka filed out of the bathroom, chattering excitedly, it would seem that Tidus had read her mind.  
  
"So Rikku, where are the bedrooms?" he asked her.  
  
"Ah.ahahahah.ha.ha." Rikku laughed nervously, scratching the back of her head. "I think it's through that door over there."  
  
They followed her gaze to a single door, next to the kitchen.  
  
And as Yuna slowly opened the door, Lulu discovered that it was just as she had feared.  
  
"Rikku! What the hell is this?" Tidus exclaimed as he observed the room. Rikku peeked at the room over Yuna's shoulder.  
  
"What.?Ah..haha.I don't see anything wrong..." She smiled nervously, backing away.  
  
The room itself was fine.perfect view and everything. However.  
  
"Why is there only ONE room?" Tidus demended.  
  
"More importantly, why are there only TWO DOUBLE beds?" Wakka butted in.  
  
"Well.ah.welcome to the Double-Honeymoon suite!" Rikku announced.  
  
"Double-honey-WHAT!!" Tidus and Wakka yelled simultaneously.  
  
Lulu sighed, and put a hand to her forehead.  
  
"I should have known." she told herself.  
  
"Why don't we talk about this over some waffles?" Rikku offered timidly.  
  
Many cups of tea and waffles later, they had finally gotten the whole story from Rikku.  
  
"Well, basically, I didn't realise that you had to book three weeks in advance, and so when I got to the desk, they told me that there were no multiple bedroomed units left.and actually there were no normal rooms left at all. But I thought this would be ok.right!" Rikku explained cheerfully.  
  
"How is this ok?" Tidus complained. "I mean, it's luxury and all.but there's only 2 beds.which can fit 2 people each.but there are five people in total."  
  
"There's the couch as well." Yuna pointed out.  
  
"I'll take the couch" Lulu, Wakka, Rikku all said simultaneously.  
  
"C'mon Rikku, there has to be something we can do about it!" Tidus asked her.  
  
"Sorry guys! We'll have to make do!" she said apologetically.  
  
"It's alright." Yuna said, speaking up. "It's not like we're all total strangers, in fact we've known each other for ages. Personally, I'm not bothered sharing a bed with anyone here."  
  
"Yeah.I guess you're right" Tidus sighed.  
  
"So that's settled." Lulu said, taking charge. "The two boys can share one bed, the cousins can share the other and I'll take the couch."  
  
"Excuse me? Who asked you to decide?" Rikku demanded. "I'm afraid that the couch is mine!"  
  
"You're kidding, ya!" Wakka exclaimed. "I deserve it the most! The couch is mine."  
  
Yuna watched nervously as the sparks began flying (and not just from Lulu's fingertips).  
  
"Hey guys? Why don't we decide this by chance?" Tidus said brightly.  
  
"Oooh yes!" Rikku grinned, rubbing her hands together.  
  
"But not by your idea of chance, cheater!" Tidus chuckled, causing Rikku to pout unhappily. "I'll tell you what we'll do. I'll write 'Bed 1' on two bits of paper, 'Bed 2' on two other bits of paper and 'Couch' on the last one. Then, we'll fold them over, shuffle them, and pick a piece each. What we pick will be our bed. And no changing! How's that?"  
  
"Sounds fair." Wakka said approvingly, and Lulu nodded.  
  
"Right then!" Tidus said, grabbing some paper and writing down the different options. He then folded each one over and shuffled them on the table, so that it was impossible to tell one from the other.  
  
"Ladies first" he said, gesturing to the three girls.  
  
Yuna, Rikku and Lulu all gingerly took a piece and Wakka and Tidus each took one of the remaining pieces.  
  
"On the count of three..one.two.OPEN!" Rikku excitedly tore open her piece.  
  
"Oh man." she said, with a disappointed frown. "I got 'Bed 1'. Who am I with?"  
  
"I got 'Bed 1' too!" Yuna smiled at her cousin. "Looks like we're sharing, Rikku!"  
  
"Cool!" Rikku smiled back.  
  
The remaining three exchanged glances and Lulu prayed for the couch. Slowly, they opened their papers.  
  
"Awww." Wakka pouted. "Bed 2. Who's with me?"  
  
Lulu bit her lip, and took a peek at her paper.  
  
"Aaaah! I got the couch!" Tidus yelled suddenly.  
  
"Then that means." Rikku and Yuna looked over at Lulu.  
  
"Bed 2." Lulu announced with a sigh. "I'm with Wakka."  
  
There was an uncomfortable silence.  
  
"Ah well, you're childhood friends after all!" Yuna said with a reassuring tone, which seemed to end the conversation.  
  
"Well, I'm gonna get unpacked" Rikku announced.  
  
As the group busied themselves with unpacking, Lulu sidled up to Tidus.  
  
"Are you sure you don't want to trade?" she asked him. "The couch looks rather small."  
  
"Who are you kidding?" Tidus laughed. "I bet that Wakka kicks in his sleep! And no, the couch isn't too small, thanks all the same!"  
  
Lulu shot him a death glare, which only caused him to chuckle.  
  
"Geez Lulu." He said with a smug smile. "I would have though you would be excited to share a bed with Wakka of all people."  
  
"Wha!! What.What are you IMPLYING!" she demanded, feeling the urge to burn his eyebrows off.  
  
"Oh nothing." he said vaguely, and wandered off leaving a very angry Lulu fuming to herself.  
  
The afternoon slipped lazily away as they unpacked or simply lay around, enjoying their luxurious suite. As the sun began to sink below the horizon, Rikku slowly stretched and got up from her comfortable chair.  
  
"I'm starving." she complained. "Can we eat yet?"  
  
Yuna sat up quickly, her soft eyes gleaming.  
  
"Shall we cook, Rikku?" she said excitedly.  
  
"Oooh, I think so!" Rikku replied, her eyes shining just as brightly.  
  
"Whoa, just a minute!" Wakka quickly stepped in. "Do you really think that's a good idea?"  
  
"Uhh, why not?" Yuna asked innocently. "Anyway, what should we cook, Rikku?"  
  
As the pair began discussing their cooking plans, Wakka quietly lent over towards Lulu.  
  
"Help, Lu!!!" he whispered in a panic. "They only listen to you!"  
  
Lulu sighed and stood up, thinking fast.  
  
"I think I saw a restaurant downstairs, when we were booking in." She interrupted. "Why don't we eat there for a celebration?"  
  
"Good idea!" Tidus said appreciatively.  
  
"Oh yeah! I forgot!" Rikku added. "Because I won this holiday, we can also have all we can eat for free! Provided that we eat in the hotel, that is! Also, we can use all the facilities for free as well!"  
  
"Wow! Really?" Wakka exclaimed. "Well, what are we waiting for? I'm starving!"  
  
Upon entering the fancy looking restaurant, it was hard to tell whether Rikku or Tidus was more excited.  
  
"Oh wow, see those kebabs she's eating? I want some of those.!" Tidus told them happily.  
  
"Oh lookie, lookie! I want to eat those steaks!! Would you look at the size of that fish, oh yum! Oh WOW, see that chocolate mousse! I gotta try that!" Rikku said, practically drooling over the expensive carpet.  
  
"Will you two quiet down!" Wakka said with embarrassment. "You're acting like kids, ya! I feel like a babysitter!"  
  
"Oh c'mon, Wakka!" Rikku sniggered. "You and I both know you're just as excited as we are..they have your favourite lasagne!"  
  
"Oh wow, where?" he exclaimed, all embarrassment forgotten.  
  
A waiter walked towards them and guided them to an empty table.  
  
"Please.enjoy yourselves." He told them, handing them all thick, leather- bound menus.  
  
"I feel so out of place." Yuna whispered across the table.  
  
"Who are you kidding!" Rikku cried. "If anyone deserves to eat here, it's Yunie, the famous summoner, who brought the eternal calm!"  
  
"Shhhh!" Yuna hushed her quickly, hoping that no-one else had heard. It wasn't easy for Yuna to get away from people constantly wanting to shake her hand.  
  
"Sorry!" Rikku said quickly. "Uh.anyway, what are you guys gonna eat?"  
  
"Hmm.this soup looks good!" Yuna said thoughtfully.  
  
"Soup.how boring." Rikku complained.  
  
"As an entrée!" Yuna smiled cheekily.  
  
The waiter sidled up to their table again.  
  
"May I take your order, Sirs and Madams?"  
  
"Oooh, I think so!" Rikku told him. "I'll have.uh.this.and this, and this! Oh, and this and this.oh and that too."  
  
Rikku began to point out half the items on the menu, making it difficult for the waiter.  
  
"Is this all to share?" he asked politely.  
  
"No." Rikku said sincerely. "It's all for me."  
  
"Eh, right. That's fine." The waiter quickly backtracked. "And you, madam?"  
  
"Oh.The chicken satay and a garden salad, for now please." Yuna said.  
  
"Satay.garden salad.and you sir?"  
  
After taking Tidus's order (which was just as long as Rikku's) the waiter turned to Wakka.  
  
"Oh.I'll have the special soup, the lasagne and a chicken salad, please." Wakka said politely.  
  
"I see." The waiter said furiously scribbling it down.  
  
"Oh and a glass of water please." Wakka added.  
  
"Right.And what will your wife have?" he asked, gesturing to Lulu who was sitting beside Wakka.  
  
There was a very uncomfortable silence; in which Wakka's face began to blush scarlet and even Lulu was caught off guard.  
  
"I'm/She's not." they both stuttered simultaneously. "I mean."  
  
"Oh yes." Rikku said mischievously. "Such a loving couple.did you know they've been married for nearly three years?"  
  
"Really?" The waiter smiled. "Congratulations."  
  
"She's expecting in sprin-"  
  
"Rikku!" Yuna cut her off sharply.  
  
"We're not actually married.we're just friends." Lulu said calmly to the waiter. "I'll have the mixed vegetable platter, and some rice please."  
  
"Ah, right. Your orders will arrive soon" the waiter quickly excused himself, before he could embarrass himself any more.  
  
"Rikku." Lulu snarled. "What the hell was that all about?"  
  
"Yah, Rikku! What are you playing at?" Wakka demanded. "That was really stupid, ya!"  
  
"Why are you getting so upset?" Rikku said smugly. "It was just a joke! Anyone would think that you two had something to hide, or something!"  
  
"Aaargh, just forget it!" Wakka said, frustrated.  
  
"Well, you two did look like the perfect couple just then." Tidus pitched in. "Anyone could make a mistake."  
  
"Yup, yup!" Rikku chirped.  
  
"Oh, shut up!" Wakka said angrily. "We did not and you know it!"  
  
"Is that so? Then why are you blushing?" Rikku teased smugly.  
  
"I am NOT blushing! I mean, it's not like I mind if they thought we were married or anything - aaargh, no that's not it.it's not that I want to be or anything.no that's wrong.I mean that.aaarghh, anyway I'm NOT blushing" Wakka shouted, banging his fist on the table. Suddenly, he felt Lulu's slender fingers over the top of his clenched hand.  
  
"Leave it Wakka." She said quietly.  
  
"Wah?"  
  
"I'll deal with it in a more painful way later." she said in a death whisper, sparks flying from her fingers.  
  
"Eh.whoops!" Rikku giggled timidly. "Uh.did anyone tell you that you're looking great tonight, Lulu?"  
  
"Well, you're in for it now." Yuna said, resting her head in her hands.  
  
Luckily, their dinner arrived at that time, and the argument was forgotten over the mouth-watering dishes.  
  
A few hours later, they were walking back to their room (with the exception of Rikku and Tidus who were staggering under the weight of their stuffed stomachs).  
  
"That was so nice." Yuna sighed contentedly.  
  
"Yup." Wakka agreed patting his stomach happily. "I am completely ready to go and sleep this off now."  
  
"One day, I'll cook this good!" Rikku stated confidently.  
  
"Keep practicing and you will, ya!" Wakka chuckled. "Just don't get me to eat your practice dishes."  
  
"Mmm.shut up, you goof." Rikku yawed, too tired even for an argument. "Ah.we're here."  
  
Tidus unlocked their door and immediately flopped onto his couch, drawing up his covers.  
  
"G'night." He yawned.  
  
"Aren't you going to change into your pyjamas?" Rikku asked him sleepily.  
  
"I'll do it in the morning." came his muffled reply, shortly followed by his soft snoring.  
  
"What a kid! He's already asleep!" Wakka grinned, before yawning hugely. "I think I might do the same, ya."  
  
"Wakka, you get changed out here." Rikku told him, as the trio of girls filed into the bedroom. "And don't peek!"  
  
"Whatever." Wakka yawned, sticking his tongue out at the closed door.  
  
"Dammit." Lulu thought angrily to herself. "Why didn't I bring another night-dress? If only I had known.this one is so..so."  
  
She was bent over her luggage, holding the thin night-dress tightly in one hand and grimacing.  
  
Yuna, who had finished changing, looked over at Lulu.  
  
"What's wrong?" she asked. "How come you're not changed yet, Lulu?"  
  
Lulu cast a quick glance over Yuna's polyester pyjama pants and top.  
  
"You wouldn't have another set of pyjamas I could borrow, would you?" she asked quietly, avoiding her eyes.  
  
"Well.I did bring an extra night-dress." She said, smiling kindly.  
  
"Thanks."  
  
As Yuna began digging around in her luggage, Rikku sidled up beside Lulu.  
  
"So.what's wrong with the night-dress you've got in your hand there?" she asked slyly.  
  
Lulu scowled at the young girl.  
  
"You were wearing it last night, I remember!" Rikku added.  
  
"Got it!" Yuna interrupted, holding up a garment cheerfully.  
  
"Thanks, Yuna. It's grea-"  
  
Lulu stopped mid-sentence as she saw the dress. It was short, baby-pink and covered in frills. It was so frilly, that Lulu wondered if there was actually any dress underneath at all.  
  
"No good?" Yuna asked, seeing Lulu's dismayed face.  
  
"I think it might be a bit too small for me." Lulu lied quickly. "But thanks anyway."  
  
"Look's like I'm stuck with this one then..." Lulu thought grimly to herself as she began to change into her original dress. "If anyone stares, I'll set them alight."  
  
She looked up to see that both Yuna and Rikku were watching her intently as she packed her only dress into the empty luggage bag.  
  
"Do you ONLY own one dress in total?" Rikku demanded. "You only ever wear the same one.the one with the belts and the fur."  
  
"Well, I LIKE that one." Lulu retorted coldly. "Is that a problem?"  
  
"No.I just thought that you might get bored." Rikku explained. "And what happens when you need to wash it?"  
  
Lulu glared at her, and began to undo her hair.  
  
"Oooh.can I help?" Rikku begged. "You have such nice hair."  
  
Lulu said nothing, which Rikku assumed as a yes.  
  
"I mean, back to the clothes issue." Rikku said, brushing out one plait. "Do you even own any bathers?"  
  
"No, but I hardly see the poin- "  
  
"And what about shorts? I never see you in shorts!" Rikku cut her off.  
  
"Well, maybe I don't like wearin-"  
  
"When did you last wear a skirt? You never wear pretty tops either!" Rikku complained.  
  
"Is there something you're trying to tell me?" Lulu snapped angrily.  
  
"It's decided then!" Rikku concluded happily, completely unfazed by Lulu's anger.  
  
"What's decided?" Yuna asked curiously.  
  
"Tomorrow, Yunie and I are taking Lulu clothes shopping!" Rikku said happily. "And we won't take no for an answer!"  
  
"Don't I have a say in this?" Lulu demanded.  
  
"No!" Rikku told her. "And you won't leave before you have lots of new clothes!"  
  
"What!?" Lulu growled, brushing out the final braid.  
  
"Yup! It's all decided now!" Rikku sang, hopping into her bed. "G'night! See you in the morning."  
  
"You've lost." Yuna smiled at Lulu. "But I'm sure we'll have a good time tomorrow."  
  
Yuna got into the other side of the bed, and was almost instantly asleep.  
  
"Yeah." Lulu said quietly into the darkness. "Maybe"  
  
"Can I come in yet?" Wakka called suddenly from the other side. "I'm getting COLD, ya!"  
  
"Shh!" Lulu scolded him, opening to door. "They're both already asleep."  
  
"Glad you're not." He told her. "Otherwise I would have frozen to death out there."  
  
"Exaggerator."  
  
"Evil woman who keeps people waiting outside."  
  
"Moron."  
  
They began bickering quietly, as per usual. However as they approached the bed, their argument faded silently away.  
  
"Uhh.I can sleep on the floor, ya." Wakka offered embarrassedly, trying to avoid looking at Lulu's night-dress.  
  
"How will you cope? You couldn't stand a little cold while you waited for us outside!" she said, pinching him.  
  
"Ouch!"  
  
"Weakling."  
  
"Uh.so which side do you want?" Wakka said, scratching the back of his head.  
  
"This one." Lulu said, getting in the side closest to the window.  
  
"Ok." Wakka smiled, getting in the other side and drawing up the covers.  
  
"Goodnight."  
  
He switched off the bedside lamp, and darkness enveloped the room.  
  
As Lulu's eyes adjusted to the dark, she could begin to see the outline of Wakka's face. They lay in silence for what seemed like ages. Both staring at each others faces, without even realising that the other was looking back. Wakka stared at her face, as though he had never seen it before, let alone grown up with it; seen it change as the years swept past.  
  
"Hey.Lu?" he said quietly, his suddenness suprising her.  
  
"What?" she replied coldly, quickly averting her eyes.  
  
"Um.well.if you dream tonight.I mean, get sick and all.well, I'm here, ok? I'll be here if you need help. If I'm asleep, wake me up, ya. You know what I mean."  
  
He coughed quietly, glad that she couldn't see his blushing in the dark.  
  
"Thank you, Wakka." She said almost inaudibly, before rolling over and facing away from him.  
  
"Well.night, then." He said, also rolling over.  
  
"Goodnight." She replied quietly. Her eyelids were already beginning to droop closed, and she felt heavy and tired.  
  
Slowly, the both began to fall asleep.  
  
******************************************************* I'm SO sorry about the lack of an update for so long! I hope you haven't all forgotten about this story and moved on to bigger and better things.^_^ Anyways, I thought I write a fairly long chappie to make up for it! I was going to split it into two, but that wouldn't really work! I hope you didn't get bored!! But really, I wanted to update much sooner! But I didn't have a computer for ages - and then I moved house and couldn't write for ages. Then I was really busy with lots of stuff (exams :P ).and when I finally got around to writing again.my keyboard broke and I had to wait a few weeks for it to be replaced! Nooo. But here it is - and you won't have to wait so long for the next chapter.(who's waiting anyway -_- ) sigh.. Actually, I was quite surprised at how many reviews it got this time.you guys wanted to read it *cries with happiness* I'm sorry I let you down! Forgive me~! Once again.no real juicy stuff in this chapter.but there will big something BIG, very BIG happening next chappie (and I don't mean the shopping trip). So stay tuned, kay! The stage is set, and the pieces are in place! It's showtime~! Bwahahaha! See you next time and please review! I love feedback! Lulu-san  
  
*Oh and listen to Morning Glow, from FFX-2, I LOVE that song! Can't wait until FFX-2 comes out where I live! Apparently, March is the closest date -_- nooooo.) 


	8. Sleepwalking, Swimming, Shell

******************  
  
Black Dreams, White Dreams  
By Lulu-san  
  
Chapter 8 – Sleepwalking, Shopping, Shell  
**************************  
  
Luca weather tended to consist of beautiful sunny days, but extremely cold nights. And that night was no exception. Shivering, Lulu pulled the covers closer around her. She had been dozing for a long time – never being able to fully go to sleep. In the back of her mind, she knew that she was too scared to go to sleep. She was afraid that she might see the nightmare again and consequently be sick. She hadn't kept a meal down overnight since the dreams started, and she was sure that tonight would be no different.  
  
Lulu rolled over onto her side, sighing. She could hear the soft, rhythmic sound of Yuna's regular breathing as she slept. Lulu wasn't sure, but she was positive that she could also hear Rikku murmuring something in Al Bhed softly in her sleep. And then, of course, there was Wakka lying only a hand span away from her. For some reason, she felt extremely on edge – her skin tingled uncomfortable every time she brushed against him.  
  
"Damn...." Lulu grumbled quietly, rolling over once again.  
  
She could have sworn that she was absolutely exhausted, ready to fall asleep. So why couldn't she? It just didn't make sense.  
  
The minutes ticked by painfully slowly. Lulu lay on her side and propped her head up with her hand. She was facing Wakka now, and she could just make out his profile in the darkness. She studied it for a while, staring intently at each feature, each line, each curve. He had been a pretty cute kid, she remembered. He was always popular with the other boys, as was Chappu. However, she smiled faintly, Chappu had always been more popular with the girls. Wakkas relationships with girls had never lasted very long. They always ended with his girlfriend claiming that he wasn't serious about the relationship, and that he was always acting distracted by something else. Lulu found that hard to believe, as Wakka had never treated anyone like that throughout the whole time Lulu had known him.  
  
Closing her eyes once again, Lulu snuggled deeper into the warm blankets. She clamped her eyes shut, forcing herself to sleep. Before she knew it her thoughts were trailing away as she faded into sleep.  
  
What seemed like hours later, Lulu's eyes suddenly snapped open. She sat bolt upright, and fought to get her breath. She was once again covered in cold sweat and shivering. She closed her eyes quickly, as though to block out the horrible nightmare that had just occurred.  
  
"C'mon Lulu...."she thought anxiously to herself, biting her lip. "Keep it down.....keep it down."  
  
A bead of sweat rolled down her forehead as she did her best to keep down the uprising nausea.  
  
Lulu swore as a sudden wave of nausea rushed through her, and she clamped her hand over her mouth quickly. She peeled the sweaty sheets away from her body with her other hand, and quickly got out of bed. Wakka mumbled something as he turned over in his sleep, completely undisturbed. Still covering her mouth, she padded along the carpet, struggling to get to the living room, without waking anyone up.  
  
Lulu stumbled around the darkened living room, trying to make her way to the bathroom across the unfamiliar area. She cursed and swore many times as she tripped over the many objects that Tidus had strewn around his makeshift 'bed'. The room was extremely dark, and only the vague outlines of objects were visible. As her eyes adjusted slightly to the darkness, she was able to successfully navigate herself to the bathroom.  
  
Finally, she sunk down onto the cool bathroom tiles, the door shut securely behind her. A very unpleasant feeling in her throat brought her back to her current situation and she began to retch violently over the toilet.  
  
"I must look so unglamorous right now..." she thought dryly, wiping a hand over her mouth, wishing she could remove the unpleasant taste somehow.  
  
When all the vomiting had ceased, and Lulu was beginning to feel a little bit more like herself, she splashed some water on her face, and left the bathroom. Her eyes traveled over to the bedroom she was sharing, but she decided not to return there yet. Instead, she made her way over to the small balcony.  
  
Once outside, Lulu breathed in the cool, fresh air deeply. The wind whipped her hair around her face, and she enjoyed the feeling of lightness. She leant over the balcony railing and gazed at the city below. Even though it was the middle of the night, many parts of Luca were still lit up in the darkness. Her gaze moved towards the dazzling lights of the blitz stadium. So many of her memories seemed to have something to do with blitzball.  
  
Lulu lost track of time as she leant over the balcony, the city lights blurring in and out as she half closed her eyes. Another gust of icy cold wind whipped against her, traveling straight though her thin nightdress. She shivered as goosebumps began to form on her white skin. Sighing, she turned around and made her way back to the bedroom.  
  
Lulu padded quietly along the carpet in the bedroom, nearly tripping over Rikku's luggage on many occasions. She was tempted to use a fire spell to create a tiny flicker of light to see by, but she decided not to. Firstly, she didn't want to risk waking anyone up, and secondly, her hand had still not healed properly after she had burnt it rescuing Yuna and Rikku's cooking on the ferry. She rubbed the rough skin gently with her other hand, hoping that it would heal soon. Wakka's cut hand had already faded away, but then again, he had Yuna's healing spell.  
  
Finally, Lulu reached the bed she was sharing with Wakka. She clamored into her side of the bed, pulling the blankets up to her shoulder. Wakka had not stirred since she had been gone, and she felt a little guilty. After all, he had offered to help her, should she feel sick.  
  
'I didn't want to wake him' she reassured herself. She was once again lying on her side, face to face with the sleeping Wakka.  
  
Without warning, Wakka suddenly mumbled something incomprehensible and reached out with his arms, pulling her into a close embrace. Her cheek rested comfortably against his chest, and he rested his chin on her head. She could hear his heart beating softly, and it made her feel safe. A few seconds later, she snapped back to reality and pushed him away quickly, her heart thumping loudly inside her chest.  
  
"What the hell are you trying to do?" she whispered harshly, before realizing that he was still asleep.  
  
However, she soon realized that she wasn't angry, just surprised. After all, they had slept together many times as children, and even bathed together. And hadn't they only hugged the other day? It wasn't anything to get worried about, or even anything to be reacted so strongly to.  
  
At least, that was Lulu was telling herself. But she just didn't know why her heart was beating so quickly, or why her cheeks felt hot and flushed.  
  
"Stupid, idiotic, moronic, stupid, stupid Wakka." She grumbled to herself, rolling over and closing her eyes. It wasn't long before she fell asleep.  
  
The morning sun was soon streaming though the windows, and the warm light gently spread over the shared bedroom.  
  
"Mmmm..." Lulu murmured as she began to wake up.  
  
However, as she opened her eyes, she froze at a certain realization. She was caught up in the embrace of someone behind her. His arms stretched around her waist, and he was resting his head on her back. Lulu's heart thumped loudly in her chest.  
  
"What's he doing?" she thought angrily, perhaps more angry at her reaction, rather than his actions. "I'm not his teddybear!"  
  
She reached down and seized one of his thin arms.  
  
'Thin....arms?' A sudden thought hit her. Wakka didn't have thin arms.  
  
She slowly turned around, facing her blonde haired embracer.  
  
"Urrghh....sleep some more...sleep some...more...." Tidus grumbled in his sleep, breaking away from Lulu, and turning around to cuddle Wakka's back instead.  
  
Lulu reached over and seized Tidus by his blonde hair.  
  
"What the hell are you doing in my bed?" She snarled, shaking viciously.  
  
"Uhh....." Tidus began to wake up. "Lulu? What are you doing in my couch? Couldn't stay away, huh? I know I'm sexy, but I'm taken."  
  
"Die!!!" Lulu growled in her most deathly voice, fire erupting from both hands.  
  
"Honestly." Yuna said sternly, sticking another band-aid on Tidus's face. "It was probably your own fault."  
  
"I was sleepwalking! I was lonely!" Tidus whined. "How could it be my fault?"  
  
"True..." Yuna agreed. "You did overreact a little, Lulu."  
  
"Overreact?" Lulu snapped from the other side of the table, narrowing her eyes at Tidus. "I don't think so."  
  
Lulu and Tidus's fight had awoken everyone else, and it had taken the full force of Wakka and Rikku to stop Lulu from incinerating Tidus to a crisp. Now, they were gathered in the living room, eating the waffles that Wakka had made for breakfast.  
  
"Well, it was all a big mistake, so let's just forget about it now, right?" Yuna smiled, bravely attempting to calm the atmosphere.  
  
"Hmph." Lulu looked away stubbornly, stabbing a waffle angrily with her fork.  
  
"So...uh, what are we planning on doing today?" Wakka called from the kitchen.  
  
"Well, you know, this morning Yunie and I are going to take Lulu clothes shopping." Rikku told him, waving her waffle around enthusiastically. "You guys can check out the city while we're doing our shopping."  
  
"Yay." Tidus said dryly, massaging his burnt arm as Yuna's cure spell worked its way around it.  
  
"No really, I heard they opened up this new Blitzball gear shop, ya!" Wakka told him. "We should take a look and grab some new stuff before our big match in the tournament, ya!"  
  
"Great! Then that's settled!" Rikku decided.  
  
"What about the afternoon?" Yuna asked as she packed away the last of the first-aid kit.  
  
"Hmm...." Wakka wandered over from the kitchen and slumped into the seat next to Lulu. "We could meet up with you girls for lunch, and decide then."  
  
"Yup!" Rikku agreed. "It's sooo exciting, isn't it? I'm gonna go and get changed!"  
  
Rikku, who was still in her pajamas, bounded off towards the bedroom.  
  
"Ah. I'm having first shower." Tidus announced, pretending to stagger in agony towards the bathroom.  
  
"I didn't hurt you that much, weakling." Lulu told him, a small smirk playing on her lips. "But if you really want to suffer...I'd be more than obliging."  
  
"I think I'm dying already....." he grimaced, but he winked as he shut the bathroom door.  
  
"Well then, I'll start the washing up." Yuna smiled at her oldest friends, and began to stack the dirty dishes. "You two can go and get ready too."  
  
As Yuna left the room, Wakka lent over towards Lulu.  
  
"Clothes shopping eh, Lu!" he grinned. "Bet you'll reaalllly enjoy that, ya."  
  
"Shut up." She said coldly. "It's not like I have a choice with that girl....She just doesn't stop until she gets what she wants."  
  
Lulu jabbed a thumb in the direction of the bedroom, referring to Rikku.  
  
"Heehh....I see what ya mean. Poor Cid, ya." Wakka chuckled slightly. "Well, I guess you'll have fun."  
  
"Maybe." Lulu said, turning her head to stare out the huge glass windows.  
  
"Uhh...hello?" Wakka asked, waving a hand in front of Lulu's tuned out face. "Spira to Lu? Are you reading me?"  
  
"What?" Lulu snapped irritably out of her thoughts.  
  
Wakka lent forward with a serious expression on his face.  
  
"Lu...I just wanted to ask if-"  
  
However, whatever Wakka was going to ask, Lulu never found out. At that moment, Rikku burst thought the bedroom door, fully dressed.  
  
"I'm ready!! Let's GO guys!"  
  
Luca had always been Spiras most bustling city, but it would seem that once the eternal calm had begun, Luca had become even busier than ever before. The group walked along the crowded streets, past the many markets and shopping strips.  
  
Rikku was in the lead, guiding them to her favourite places. Somehow, Lulu found herself falling out of step with the group, and she trailed behind slowly. Their animated conversations and the lively chattering of the crowd around them was blurring into one surrounding noise. Lulu half closed her eyes as she walked, watching the world she viewed through her thick eyelashes.  
  
On and on they walked, through a series of back streets, then back onto the main road and over countless bridges and pathways. Lulu couldn't remember Luca being this big.  
  
"Just a little further!" Rikku called from the front.  
  
Lulu let out a small sigh of relief. The sun was hot, and her heavy outfit was definitely making the heat worse. It would be worth going into a clothes shop now, just to escape the heat.  
  
"It's soo hot, ya!" Wakka suddenly said from beside her.  
  
Lulu looked up suddenly; Wakka hadn't been there before. She had been certain that he had been walking up front with the rest of the group. At some stage, he must have fallen into step with her while she had been tuning out.  
  
"Yes." She said, turning away from him again. "It is hot."  
  
They walked in silence. Lulu's feet were beginning to ache in her boots. She frowned. The heat was putting her into a very bad mood. Besaid weather was hot, even hotter than this, but Lulu had learnt to stay in the shaded parts of the island during the hottest parts of the day. Only an idiot would walk around outside during those hours. Yet, here she was, doing exactly that.  
  
"Umm.....Lu?" Wakka said quietly as they walked.  
  
"Mmm?" Lulu wasn't in the mood for a conversation.  
  
"I was just wondering...ya know, if you were ok last night?" he asked her quietly, to keep their voices private from the rest of the group.  
  
"Yes, Wakka. I was just fine." Lulu lied, trying to forcefully end his inquiries.  
  
"Really?" Wakka asked, looking relieved. "So you didn't get sick or anything...that's great!"  
  
Lulu scowled at him.  
  
"Actually, I did." She snapped angrily. "But I was fine. I don't need your help."  
  
Wakka looked a little hurt.  
  
"Sorry." He apologized. "I didn't mean to pry, or anything. It's just that I've been thinking, ya, and I thought that if it kept happening then we could check out some of the doctors here, see what they say. I mean, I read somewhere that dreams are your subconscious talking to you, but I think your subconscious is trying to kill you, ya!"  
  
He chuckled a bit, and then gave her a very serious, yet gentle smile.  
  
"It can't be healthy, and that's evident, ya. But, if you don't take care of yourself, it could get worse. That's why I was thinking we should get you checked out, see if there's something that could help."  
  
Lulu glared at him, she wasn't sure exactly why he was making her so furious, but he was.  
  
"Wakka." She said coldly. "I am NOT sick. I don't need a doctor, and I sure as hell don't need your help. Can't you just leave me alone?"  
  
Wakka's surprised and hurt face only infuriated her more.  
  
"Whatever happens to me is my business, and you're only making things worse by blundering around trying to help" she snapped at him. "I'm not sick. The only thing around here making me sick is probably having you suggesting that I'm somehow mentally disturbed. You just don't understand me, Wakka. I wouldn't try to either, you might hurt yourself. Might lose some of those few, precious brain cells you still have left."  
  
Lulu wasn't sure what she was saying anymore. She continued to toss insult after insult at him. She knew that what she was saying wasn't true, just knowing that Wakka was ready to help her was enough to make her feel much better. But her anger wasn't directed at that. She was angry at herself, angry at her stupid dreams. Why was Wakka there too? Why was she so ready to kiss him? She couldn't even understand herself anymore, so what hope did Wakka have at understanding her? She was only becoming more and more confused.  
  
"I can take care of myself, you really shouldn't bother trying to be concerned. You are not Chappu. Give up on trying to become him. You will never, ever be the same as him, so don't even bother wasting your time." Lulu spat out coldly, but she instantly regretted it.  
  
Wakka looked both stunned and confused, and Lulu felt like her heart had just been punctured.  
  
"It's alright, Lu." He said suddenly, giving her a small, sad smile.  
  
'Take it back, take it back, take it back!" was all she could think. "Say you didn't mean it! Before it's too late...." She knew she had gone too far this time.  
  
However, just as she opened her mouth to apologize, Rikku turned around.  
  
"Okay!" she grinned, cheerful as ever. "We're heeere!"  
  
She sidled up to Lulu, completely oblivious to the older woman's situation.  
  
"Ready, Lulululu?" she giggled, pulling one of Lulu's braids cheekily.  
  
"I guess we guys will split from you girls now!" Tidus said. "Right, Wakka?"  
  
"Uh, yah!" Wakka gave them all a cheerful grin and a wave. "Catch ya later!"  
  
The two men melted away into the crowd. Lulu's mouth was still bitter with the horrible insults she had thrown at Wakka, and she cursed her quick temper. Taking a deep breath, she looked at Rikku's excited face.  
  
"Well, let's get this over with then." She sighed.  
  
"Right on!" Rikku cheered, a delighted grin spreading over her face.  
  
By the time the three girls had entered the sixth boutique, Lulu was seriously regretting agreeing to go on the shopping trip. Rikku and Yuna sorted their way efficiently through the garments, occasionally pulling out an item for Lulu to try on. It had been so long since Lulu had last been shopping, that she had forgotten how. She wandered aimlessly from clothes rack to clothes rack, occasionally toying with a skirt or shirt, before replacing it. She just wasn't interested.  
  
"How's this, Lulu?" Rikku asked, thrusting a bright pink, and very short, skirt in front of her face.  
  
"Uh...no, I don't think so."  
  
"What about this one?" Yuna held up a pair of black cut-off jean-shorts – which were even shorter than the skirt that Rikku was holding.  
  
"No. Absolutely not."  
  
"Mmmnnn..." Rikku and Yuna pulled identical, exasperated expressions.  
  
"Then...what about THIS one?!" Rikku held out a long, embroidered purple dress.  
  
"No...too fancy."  
  
"Do you like this one?" Yuna was now showing her a one piece, summery dress.  
  
"......no."  
  
In the end they left that boutique empty handed. The visited countless boutiques and shops along the road, but there was nothing that Lulu wanted to buy. She was just about ready to give up, and judging by Yuna's and Rikku's faces, they were just about ready as well.  
  
"Man, Lulu!" Rikku groaned as she dragged her feet along the busy street. "If you refuse everything, we'll never get to buy anything."  
  
"If I buy something I don't like, I won't wear it." Lulu informed her.  
  
"True...but still! You could be a bit more open minded." Rikku replied grumpily.  
  
The trio stopped in front of another shop.  
  
"We've got to be able to find something here..." Yuna sighed, leading the way inside the small shop.  
  
Lulu was beginning to search a bit more actively through the racks, and eventually managed to pick out a selection of clothes to try on. She slid the curtain of the changing room closed, and began to pull on the new clothes.  
  
"Lulu?" Rikku was calling. "Can we see yet?"  
  
"Just a minute...." She called back, zipping up the new skirt.  
  
Once she was fully changed, she studied herself in the mirror. She hardly recognized herself in the new clothes.  
  
"Lulululululululu....." Rikku was getting impatient.  
  
"Alright, alright..."  
  
Lulu pushed the dividing curtain away, and came face to face with Rikku and Yuna.  
  
"What do you think?" she asked slightly nervously.  
  
Lulu had chosen a black, pleated skirt which came down to just above her knees. She had a thick black belt slung over the top of the skirt, and the silver buckle rested just above her hip. Under the skirt, she wore a pair of black tights, which were slightly transparent. The top she had chosen was dark grey, fitted around the waist and wide necked. It had long, loose sleeves, and was vaguely peasant styled. The front had crisscross lacing and the ends fell down to her waist. She had also chosen a pair of dark brown boots, which reached just below her knees.  
  
"Waaah!" Rikku cried. "You look sooooo good, Lulu!"  
  
"You do look lovely!" Yuna agreed. "It suits you so well."  
  
Lulu fidgeted uncomfortably. The cloth was much lighter than what she was used to.  
  
"Are you going to buy it?" Rikku asked, admiring the outfit.  
  
"Probably." Lulu said thoughtfully.  
  
"I still think this one would look the best..." Rikku grinned, holding up a hot pink, leather mini skirt.  
  
The three girls left the shop satisfied, Yuna and Rikku sporting huge grins.  
  
"Mission completed!" Rikku cheered, patting Lulu affectionately.  
  
Lulu peeked in the bag at her new outfit. She didn't want to wear it just yet, even though her old dress was becoming increasingly hotter and heavier as they walked.  
  
"What should we do now?" Yuna asked suddenly. "I mean, we've done our shopping...what now?"  
  
"Ho ho...shopping is never finished." Rikku told her with a smug smile.  
  
"Shop until you drop, huh." Yuna gave her cousin a weary look, to which Rikku returned.  
  
"Oooahhh! Oaah!" Rikku's eyes suddenly lit up. "Yunie, look! I've always wanted to go into that shop!"  
  
Rikku was pointing to a very cute, pastel pink shop. It was full of cute sweets, stationary and stuffed toys.  
  
"Wow!! Me too, isn't that stuff just so adorable!" Yuna smiled brightly, her eyes shining. "And they're having a sale!"  
  
"Let's take a look!" Rikku beamed, bouncing from side to side. "Coming, Lulu?"  
  
Lulu gave the overly cute shop a weary stare. She wasn't particularly interested in it at all. Her eyes fell on a nice looking jewelry shop close by.  
  
"Actually, I think I'll pass." She told Rikku and Yuna. "I'm going to take a look at the jewelry shop a few doors down."  
  
"Right!" Rikku agreed. "We'll meet up with you soon, kay!"  
  
Yuna nodded her agreement, and the two of them ran off towards the shop like excited children.  
  
Lulu shook her head, baffled at the amount of excitement and energy that those girls seemed to contain.  
  
A short while later, Lulu was pouring over the cabinets of necklaces and earrings in the jewelry shop. She had been right, it was a nice store and there were many pretty accessories that she had to restrain herself from buying. The shop was not only nice, it was also incredibly expensive. Unlike clothes shopping which she despised, Lulu quite enjoyed looking for new items of jewelry. However, even though she had quite a small collection, she always seemed to end up wearing the same ones. She twisted the purple necklace around her fingers as she browsed through the cabinets.  
  
Lulu restrained herself from buying a pair of pretty silver earrings, and decided to look at the display of pendants in the window instead. They certainly had an impressive range which gleamed and sparkled in the sunlight. She rested her hand against the glass of the window cabinet and admired the pendants.  
  
A particular pendant caught her eye. It was a small pendant on a plain sliver chain. It was fashioned into the shape of a small, silver shell, and it reminded her of Besaid. Suddenly a shadow fell over the window display, and the shell ceased to sparkle brightly. Someone had stopped on the other side of the window, and was looking in at the display. Lulu scowled. They were blocking the sunlight. She looked up, preparing to give them a killer glare, and hopefully scare them away. However, her expression changed to surprise as she recognized their face.  
  
Wakka stood on the other side of the glass, pouring over the display. He seemed completely unaware of her presence, and was completely engrossed in the window display.  
  
Suddenly, he looked up. Their eyes met, and Wakka's surprise was evident. His eyes widened, but a wide smile appeared on his face. He waved, and gestured to her that he would come inside the shop. Lulu was overcome by guilt as she remembered their last conversation.  
  
"Hey!" Wakka greeted her cheerfully. "I thought you were shopping with the other girls."  
  
"We've finished now." Lulu told him coldly. "They're looking in another shop close by."  
  
"Right!" Wakka noticed her new bag. "Ooh, you bought something, ya! Are you going to show me?"  
  
"No." Lulu replied. She returned her gaze to the window display, when a sudden thought struck her.  
  
"What were you doing looking at this girly stuff anyway?" she asked, gesturing to the window display.  
  
"Ah...ha..." Wakka scratched the back of his head. "Actually, I was looking for a present for someone."  
  
"I see." Lulu frowned.  
  
"Hey!" Wakka suddenly exclaimed. "Maybe you could help me, ya. You know I'm not too good at picking out this sort of stuff. Women are so hard to buy for!"  
  
Lulu felt a sudden stab of jealousy. Who was this girl he was buying presents for? Had he got a new girlfriend? Nobody had a birthday coming up, and he certainly hadn't told her anything.  
  
"I was thinking of getting a pendant or something." Wakka continued. "What do you think? It's not so dinky as earrings or bangles."  
  
Lulu said nothing, but she was becoming increasingly irritated. She thought she knew everything about Wakka, but she obviously she had been wrong.  
  
"What about that one?" He asked, pointing to a pendant. Lulu felt another stab of jealousy. For the pendant he was pointing to was none another than the shell pendant she had just been eyeing off.  
  
"Hmph." She crossed her arms, and gave an indistinguishable grunt.  
  
"Yah!" Wakka decided with a grin. "I think that's the one all right! I'll just go get it..."  
  
"Fine." Lulu replied unfeelingly, but she was clenching her fists as he walked away towards the shop attendant. She was really furious now, although she wasn't sure if it was justifiable this time.  
  
"Damn it..." she cursed harshly under her breath.  
  
Wakka was paying for the necklace at the counter and chatting happily with the assistant. Lulu was once again overcome by a wave of angry feelings and she stormed out of the shop, resisting the urge to slam the door.  
  
"Ah! Lu, wait!" a very flustered Wakka was calling from inside, but she ignored him and began to make her way away from the shop. Fuming, she pushed her way through the crowd and down the busy street. She wasn't even sure where she was going, but she knew she had to let off steam somehow. Slowing down her pace, she took a deep breath. However, before she had the chance to begin walking again, she felt a strong hand on her shoulder. She turned around, ready to strike her attacker....  
  
"Geez, you sure can move fast when you want to!" Wakka was puffing. "Took me ages to catch up, ya!"  
  
"What do you want?" Lulu asked frigidly, pulling away from his grasp.  
  
"Calm down already!" Wakka said, looking exasperated  
  
"I'm perfectly calm!" she said, although she was certainly feeling otherwise.  
  
"Look, come and sit down." He said, pulling her toward him. Lulu resigned, and let him steer her towards a small bench on the side of the road. It was shaded from the harsh sun by a large tree, for which Lulu was extremely grateful.  
  
They sat in silence for a little while, watching the passing people.  
  
"So...what do you want?" Lulu finally growled, crossing her arms.  
  
"Well...um.."  
  
Wakka mumbled a few indistinguishable words, before pulling out a neatly wrapped box, complete with a pretty red ribbon tied around it. He passed it to her.  
  
"It's for you." He said smiling, and she could see his ears turning slightly red. "Open it."  
  
Lulu looked at him in confusion, before unwrapping the neat box.  
  
"Oh...Wakka..."  
  
The shell pendant glittered softly in the dappled light, and she gently lifted it from the case.  
  
"But it's not my birthday for a long time..." she reminded him.  
  
"I know, ya!" he said, looking slightly embarrassed. "It's, well...a bit of a 'cheer-up' present, and also...to say...that I'm sorry."  
  
Wakka glanced over, and immediately misread her expression of guilt as one of irritation.  
  
"Ah, ah, it doesn't mean that I think I can win you over with presents or anything, or that I can buy friendship, or anything like that. I didn't mean it like that, it's just that well...you know..." he stuttered, falling over himself to explain.  
  
"You know, you've not been too happy lately, and I though that it might cheer you up for a little bit."  
  
He gave her a warm smile.  
  
"And, it's a nice necklace. When I saw it in the window, I knew that you had to have it."  
  
Lulu just shook her head, and returned his warm smile with a small one of her own.  
  
"No, I'm sorry." She said quietly. "I didn't mean what I said."  
  
"It's ok. I know, ya."  
  
Wakka reached over and took the necklace from her fingers. He placed it around her neck and did up the clasp.  
  
"Hmm, it does look good though." He said, sitting back to admire it.  
  
Lulu leant forward, and gently kissed him on the cheek.  
  
"Thank you. It really is lovely."  
  
Wakka nodded, looking a tad flabbergasted by her sudden actions. His cheeks were a little pinker than usual, his smile a little more uneasy.  
  
However, the moment was rudely interrupted by a loud beeping.  
  
Wakka cursed, and dug around in his pockets to find the source. It was a little messenger that Rikku had given all of them last year. It was a quick and easy way of keeping in touch with each other. They could send little notes and reminders whenever, and it was practically instantaneous.  
  
"Oh..." Wakka cursed again, upon reading the message. He passed it to Lulu who read,  
  
HEY WAKKA!  
  
WHAT'S GOING ON? WHERE ARE YOU? EVERYONE ARRANGED TO MEET 15 MINS AGO AT THE CAFÉ FOR LUNCH!  
  
WHERE ARE YOU? PLEASE COME SOON! WE'RE HUNGRY!  
  
FROM RIKKU AND YUNA.  
  
P.S.  
  
HAVE YOU SEEN LULU? WE LOST HER SOMEWHERE ALONG THE WAY. PLEASE KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR HER.  
  
Lulu passed it back to Wakka, smiling a little bit at the post script.  
  
"Aw man, I completely forgot." Wakka groaned. "We'd better hurry. It's not too far away from here, we'll make it."  
  
Lulu nodded silently, and stood up.  
  
"Let's go, then."  
  
Together, they hurried along the busy streets of Luca.  
  
*********************************************  
  
Hey again! *tumbleweed rolls past* uh, anyone out there? Have I been deserted?? Lulu-san here again, and I have UPDATED! And, because updating took so long – I have a little treat. It's a layout of the hotel – please take a look!   
  
I know it's uhh...a little funny looking, but it's just a guideline, to give you an idea! They can always rearrange the furniture!  
  
I'm really sorry about the time it took to get this chapter up. I don't know why, but this chapter was particularly hard to write. Because I have focused a lot of the plot in the later chapters, this chapter was a bit dry...sorry! But...it's LONG! Ha! Did you know that this chapter is 10 pages long – that's Times New Roman size 12? It's about 5000 words long! This whole story is 21,193 words long! and I'm not even halfway through yet? *hits forehead* what am I trying to do, write a novel?  
  
I finally bought FFX-2! But Lulu and Wakka don't have much of a role. Can't wait until Lulu has her baby – but she SOOO doesn't look pregnant. I'm stuck in chapter 2 right now...infiltrating Bevelle...I'm trying to get the chest with Ribbon in it.  
  
Well, moving back – I hope you enjoyed this chapter – please let me know if the chapters are too long, or if my writing is beginning to suck. *beginning? -_- *  
  
Oh yeah, if you know of any other good Wakka/Lulu fics – let me know! They isn't enough of them out there, I think! My email is Lulu_san@hotmail.com  
  
And, of course!! Thank you for your reviews! I got some lovely reviews, and I can't thank you enough. Please continue to support this story ^_^ I'm really happy knowing that there are people reading it, and waiting to see what happens next!! It's great!  
  
Lol, I read a review just now...as I'm updating.....lol, That Cactaur Muse, I guess miracles can happen – as you reviewed, I updated...pretty funny! Oh, and thank you Sanomeh, I'm glad you're enjoying it! I do my best to keep them in character!  
  
So, I will do my best to update sooner rather than later – I know I'm very evil to keep you waiting – but I do my best! I've been very busy lately! So – see you soon, please keep the reviewing this story!  
  
Lulu-san 


	9. Only a little better?

Black Dreams, White Dreams

By Lulu-san

Chapter 9 – Only a little better?

When Wakka and Lulu had finally navigated their way to the designated café, they found Rikku standing out the front with her arms crossed, tapping her foot impatiently.

"Just where exactly have you been?" she interrogated Wakka angrily, stabbing a finger in front of his nose. "Tidus said you just vanished, saying something about wanting to look at something else. A little TOO vague, don't you think!"

Wakka scratched the back of his head and gave her an apologetic smile.

"Sorry. Got a little sidetracked, ya know?"

Rikku scowled, but her gaze shifted to Lulu, and her expression changed into a relieved smile.

"Lulululu! Yuna and I were starting to get really worried! We went to the jewelry shop that you said you were going to, you know, after we looked in that cute shop and everything, but you weren't there when we went, and I thought you'd had enough and gone home, but Yuna said you wouldn't have done that without telling us, but I wasn't too sure, and anyway we asked the lady, but she couldn't remember if you'd been there, and then I thought maybe you'd be kidnapped, but Yuna said you could look after yourself, but I wasn't too sure, but I kind of trust Yunie you know, but Luca's gotten busier lately, and anyway, we decided to make our way here, in case you'd already headed over here, but when we got here, Tidus said he hadn't seen you, and I thought you'd been and gone, but Yuna said you would have waited, but I wasn't sure and anyway, it's good that Wakka found you on his way." Rikku said in a very fast rush while bouncing from side to side and causing Lulu to raise one eyebrow in an amused way.

"Well, I'm here now. Besides, I was just fine – you really shouldn't waste so much energy worrying." Lulu reassured her.

"Yeah…yeah, I know…" Rikku said, rolling her eyes in exasperation, as though Lulu really had no idea of the suffering she'd just experienced.

She then lead them into the café, where Yuna and Tidus were sitting at one of the tables, enjoying cool glasses of water and inspecting each others purchases.

"I found them!" Rikku proudly told Yuna as she slid into the seat next to her.

"It's not like we were lost or anything…" Wakka complained, somewhat put off over Rikkus exaggeration.

"Heh, so who found who first?" Tidus chuckled, gesturing his head from Rikku, to Wakka, to Lulu.

"Well, they kind of turned up together…" Rikku told him with a bored expression, resting her head in the palm on her hand. "I didn't even have to leave the café."

"Sorry for denying you the effort of creating a search party." Wakka grumbled, knowing all to well that Rikku would have thrived on the excitement.

Soon, the conversation slipped away into new topics as they ordered food, the content ranging from the new Blitz gear Tidus and Wakka had bought, to how many calories the hamburger Tidus had ordered would have, to how many kilograms Rikku could gain before she exploded ("None." Wakka claimed, because she was so highly strung she could explode any second) to how many chocobos were needed to start a race-course, and sequentially onto what the odds would be for each chocobo.

"No!" Tidus exclaimed, banging his fist down on the table, causing his hamburger to jump several centimeters in the air. "The heavier chocobos would have higher odds, because the extra weight would slow them down!"

"Are you kidding!" Rikku argued. "I've BEEN to a chocobo race, I KNOW what the odds look like!"

"Oh yeah?" Tidus bickered. "PROVE it!"

"Will both of you just quit quarrelling?" Wakka groaned, whacking both of them on the back of the head, to which they both exclaimed loudly in synchronization and instantly attacked him back.

"Anyway!" Yuna interrupted the squabbling quickly. "What are everybody's plans for the rest of the day?"

Wakka scratched his chin thoughtfully and gave a sideways look to Tidus (who had stopped attacking him by then).

"Well, seeing as the Auroch boys are coming by a bit later this afternoon, we thought we'd have a little final training session for the tournament tomorrow, ya." he said.

"Yeah!" Tidus agreed. "But seeing as the hotel only has a small blitz sphere, we thought we'd start off in the main sphere at the stadium. Wakka's already booked it out."

"I see…" Rikku said, pouting a little.

"What?" Wakka asked, surprised by her disappointed reaction.

"Well, I was hoping we could have all done something together…" Rikku said sadly.

"But, you know, if you're too busy and all…"

"Huh? No, no…the training shouldn't take that long – I mean, we can all do something afterwards, right?" Wakka quickly reassured her.

"I mean, it's not fair how you guys get to go off into a cool blitz sphere and relax while we girls have to suffer in the stifling heat, just watching you play– OH!"

"What now?" Yuna asked, as Rikku's face broke into a huge grin.

"We should all go to the pool together afterwards!" She declared. "C'mon, you'll all go too, right? It's so hot now, and it'll be really, really, really fun!"

"Actually, it does sound like a good way to cool down!" Yuna beamed.

"Riiiight!" Rikku trilled, before shooting a forceful glare at the two men.

"Alright, alright…we'll go already!" said an amused Wakka, while Tidus nodded with a resigned air.

All eyes then turned to Lulu, who up until now had not taken part in the conversation whatsoever. In fact, she was resting with her head in her hands, staring in the opposite direction with a glazed look on her face; an untouched salad still placed in front of her.

"Uhh…hello in there?" Tidus called, waving a hand at her. "Spira to Lulu?"

Wakka frowned in concern and placed a hand gently on her shoulder.

"Lu?" he asked carefully. "You still with us?"

Lulu's eyes snapped back into focus, and she shook his hand off impatiently.

"Yes, yes, I'm fine." She said, irritated. "I have been listening, you know."

"Oh good! Then you ARE coming with us, then?" Rikku enquired.

Lulu, who of course, had not taken in a word in the last 10 minutes, stared blankly from one set of curious eyes to the next.

"I….guess so…" She answered cautiously, unable to predict the situation.

"Great!" Rikku cheered with exuberance. "Well, we should go back to the hotel and get ready, right?"

The group paid the bill and left the café. As they began walking back to the hotel, Lulu felt herself fall into step with Wakka, just as they had done only hours previously.

They walked together in silence for a while, before Wakka finally broke the silence by chuckling slightly to himself.

"What?" Lulu grumbled, irked by his sudden amusement. "What's so funny?"

"Ahh, nothing!" he continued to grin. "Just, well…you weren't listening at all back then, were you?"

Lulu scowled at him, but she couldn't deny it.

"So?" she snapped.

"Well, you don't actually know where we're heading this afternoon, do you?" he continued, suppressing his laughter.

"So?" she repeated, frowning at his smiling face.

"I dunno…it just doesn't seem like your sort of place, ya?" Wakka teased her, deliberately not letting her know the destination.

"Care to enlighten me?" she asked coldly.

"Today, after our blitzball training, we're all heading to…"

Wakka paused for dramatic effect.

"…the pool!"

Perhaps nobody else would have noticed the slight change in Lulu's expression, but Wakka picked up on the irritated twitch of her eyebrow, and the slight hardening of her eyes and thinning of her lips.

"Well, you should have found out where we were heading before agreeing." Wakka reminded her.

"Oh, shut up." Lulu said, glaring at him.

He stared straight back at her killer gaze, an achievement that not many could claim. Eventually Lulu broke the contact, rested her palm to her forehead and shook her head gently from side to side; a childhood habit that Wakka fondly recognized.

"I think I'll skip this one out." She eventually told him, her tone a little more exasperated than usual.

"Rikku will be disappointed." Wakka warned, a lopsided grin spreading over his tanned face. "Or violently devastated."

"True, true." Lulu agreed with a faint smile.

"She might blow you up, ya."

"Well, I can't say I shouldn't be prepared for all circumstances." Lulu replied, with mock consideration.

"Or, she might drug your drink and take you there unconscious."

"Can't rule that out completely…"

"Or, should you puncture her excitement, she might just fly around the room like a balloon letting out air, before flopping to the ground in a shriveled heap."

"Well, that wouldn't be so bad, would it now?"

They grinned at each other for a few seconds, before they both began to laugh gently. Wakka was delighted to see Lulu's full smile and he laughed all the louder for it.

"Are you guys talking about me!"

The two of them stopped laughing at once, and looked up at the curious face of Rikku.

"Ah, no…no, no…of course not!" Wakka quickly denied, flapping his hands in a telltale guilty fashion. "Whatever gave you that idea?"

Rikku stared intently from Lulu's to Wakka, as they both did their best to keep a straight face.

"You're making FUN of me, aren't you!" Rikku finally exclaimed in dramatic disbelief.

Rikku's outrage and shock at the obvious was too much for Lulu, and she let out a very un-ladylike snort, which she hastily covered with a cough. Rikku noticed this and frowned.

"You were, weren't you!" she cried in outrage. "I don't believe it!"

After hitting Wakka several times on the head (to which he complained bitterly), Rikku turned to Lulu and folded her arms with a smug smile.

"I'm not going to whack you for revenge, Lulululu!" she told her. "Instead, you can make it up to me by definitely coming to the pool with us, and not being such a party pooper and staying at home, like I know you were planning to."

Before Lulu could open her mouth to object, Rikku gave a large grin and patted her arm in a soothing way.

"You can borrow one of my swim suits." She told her, in the manner of one performing a great favor. "I know you don't have one, so you can't escape with that excuse."

With one last triumphant grin over her shoulder, Rikku ran ahead to where Tidus and Yuna were walking arm in arm, leaving Wakka and Lulu standing with gaping mouths.

"She…she…is not being fair, ya?" Wakka said stupidly.

"I suppose so." Lulu agreed gloomily. "We lost that round."

When the group returned to the hotel room, there were still a couple of hours to kill until they would meet up with the Aurochs. Tidus and Wakka sat near the window, discussing Blitzball tactics in great detail, Yuna sat curled up on the couch with a thick book and Rikku sat on the floor at her feet, flipping through a trashy magazine and chewing a couple of waffles that Wakka had made earlier.

However, Lulu abandoned this scenario, made her way to the bedroom and (checking that the door was shut properly) flopped facedown on her bed, seeking comfort in the cool darkness. She shut her eyes and pressed her face deeper into the pillow, as though to squash her thoughts into vanishing.

A long, deep sigh stole from her lips and her face relaxed from its usual controlled mask into a tired, despaired expression. She wanted to sleep so badly, but her fear of nightmares refused to give into to her body's desire and craving for rest. In a sort of desperate compromise, she lay motionless of the bed- not asleep nor awake, instead silent in a thoughtless doze. She lay there for almost an hour, soothed by the silence of solitude.

Just as she felt herself slipping into a deep sleep, the bedroom door was slowly opened, casting a shaft of light over her face and torso. She sat up slowly, heaving her body up to a sitting position, noting with distaste the pillow marks on her arms and most likely face as well. A figure stood silhouetted in the doorway, and on closer view, Lulu realized it to be Rikku.

"Aah, sorry! I didn't realize you were sleeping – I'll go away and let you go back to sleep!" she whispered quickly, and made to shut the door, but Lulu stopped her.

"It's alright, I wasn't really asleep anyway." She told her. "What did you want, anyway?"

"Well, actually, I was wondering, you know, if you had some spare time, if you might trim my hair for me?" she asked, tugging her hair emphatically. "It's been getting a little long and uncontrollable, you see."

Lulu frowned for a moment, before sighing and nodding.

"Cool! I brought scissors!" Rikku said happily, waving them dangerously about.

"But wouldn't you prefer to go to a hairdresser, like normal girls do?" Lulu asked as she and Rikku left the bedroom, and entered the living room.

"Not really, I mean, I just need a trim!" she replied, taking a seat at the kitchen table and helping Lulu to pull a sheet around her shoulders. "So don't go cutting it ALL off, okay? You're the one I trust the most with this sort of thing – Yuna's all thumbs you know!"

Lulu chuckled.

"Yes, I know."

Lulu snipped away at Rikku's hair with careful precision, making sure she kept the length even. Wisps of blonde hair littered the ground around them, and soon Yuna, Wakka and Tidus came over to check out what was going on.

Finally, Lulu snipped off the last little bit of jagged, split hair, and showed Rikku the final result in a small pocket mirror.

"Waah!" Rikku exclaimed, admiring her hair in the reflection.

"Not bad!" Tidus agreed.

"You're the BEST, Lulu!" Rikku squealed, flinging her arms around the older woman and giving her a kiss on the cheek.

"Rikku…you're hurting me…" Lulu grumbled, as she struggled to escape Rikku's bear-strength hug – however, she couldn't deny feeling a little flattered.

"But, seriously! She did a really good job, didn't she, Yunie! Just as good as an expensive hairdresser!" Rikku beamed, looking to Yuna for confirmation.

"Yes, of course!" Yuna agreed, shyly siding up next to Lulu. "Actually, do you think you could trim mine too?"

"Me too!" Tidus cheerfully added, raising a hand in the air.

Lulu groaned inside.

About an hour later, Lulu was finally doing the final touches on Tidus's hair, having already finished trimming Yunas. Rikku had returned to reading her trashy magazine; however she would occasionally come over to see how the haircutting was progressing.

"There!" Lulu cut of the last snippet, and lowered her scissors.

"Thanks!" Tidus winked at her as he admired himself in the pocket mirror.

Lulu stretched her arms, and stifled an oncoming yawn. However, she was soon distracted by the smiling face of Wakka, who was approaching from the other side of the room.

She gave him an apprehensive look.

"I suppose you'll be wanting a haircut as well, right." She frowned at him, raising her eyebrow in a bored manner.

"Hah? Uh, no…I was just coming over to see how it was all going, ya!" Wakka said quickly, raising his hands in an apologetic way.

"Oh…I see." Lulu looked away, feeling slighting embarrassed.

"But, uh…I…wouldn't…mind…unless…eh, uh.." Wakka's face turned a bright red, as he too looked away, scratching the back of his head.

"You can sit down, if you want it cut." Lulu told him awkwardly, while still facing away. "It needs it."

"Heh, I guess so, ya." Wakka agreed hurriedly, sitting down in front of her. "Just don't chop it all off."

"Hmm, are you sure you trust me?" Lulu asked, smirking slightly. "I might just change my mind halfway though and make you bald!"

"Well, I might just have a go at yours, if that happens!" Wakka retorted, also smirking.

They both chuckled, and Lulu began dampening Wakka's hair and combing through it gently.

"Do you remember?" Wakka asked suddenly.

"Hmm? Remember what?" Lulu asked absentmindedly as she teased out a knot in his hair.

"Back on Besaid, ya, when we were kids, you, me and Chappu. We had a go at cutting each others hair. Do you remember?"

Lulu smiled nostalgically, somewhat amused at how the two of them shared memories of such absurd incidents.

"Yes, I remember." She told him. "Although we never got around to cutting mine."

Wakka chuckled.

"Yeah! Me and Chappu ended up worse, ya. You were terrible at cutting hair, back then!"

"I was only 7!" Lulu pointed out defensively.

"Took three months for my hair to grow back!" Wakka laughed. "I'll never forget the humiliation! You were lucky!"

"Hmm, guess I should have been grateful to that priest that interrupted us, rather then being so angry that he had spoilt such a fun game." Lulu said with a small smile.

"Too true, too true!" Wakka agreed.

The two of them laughed quietly together, as they continued to reminisce over their amusing memories.

However, as Lulu continued to work away at his hair, their conversation gently faded away into a relaxed silence, broken only by the occasional sound of Rikku turning a page of her magazine. Wakka's hair was easy to manage, and the locks of bright red hair fell softly onto the floor surrounding them, in a manner that reminded Lulu of autumn leaves. She gently ran her fingers through his hair, straightening it as she trimmed. Lulu had thought that with the amount of swimming that Wakka practiced every day, his hair would have had become rough and weathered by the sun, however, to her surprise, it was just as soft and silky as it had been when they were children.

Lulu broke from her thoughts suddenly; her hand was centimetres away from simply stroking the soft wisps of hair. Her brow furrowed in irritation at her sudden affectionate feelings. Almost as though in a frustrated attempt to suppress this, she began to cut quicker and rougher, no longer laboriously spending minutes perfecting her efforts.

"Whoa, careful!" Wakka exclaimed as she came within a near miss of completely cutting off the long curl of hair that stood up so childishly in the air.

"Ha ha, Wakka just wouldn't be Wakka without that bit of sticky-uppy hair!" Rikku laughed, looking over at them from the couch.

"Might be an improvement though…" Tidus commented dryly.

"Watch it, or I'll bench you tomorrow!" Wakka warned jokingly, waggling his finger at Tidus.

"Yeah, whatever! You know you couldn't win without me!" Tidus laughed, puffing out his chest confidently.

"Oh, HO! Is that SO!" Wakka snorted.

Once again, the playful bantering begun, breaking the previous calm silence. Lulu wondered with a smile if the group was even capable of staying quiet for longer than 10 minutes anyway.

"Probably not." She murmured to herself with a small chuckle.

She looked down at the hair she was cutting, and saw with a slight satisfaction that she was pretty much finished. However, as she trimmed the last little outstanding hairs, she began to notice new details – like the smooth shape of Wakka's neck, or the golden brown colour of his skin, and even the sheer broadness of his shoulders. She was somewhat embarrassed to find herself staring, yet didn't quite want Wakka to get up yet – despite the fact she had now finished cutting his hair. She found herself wanting to look, if not just for a little longer.

"Are you finished now?" Wakka suddenly asked, turning around to face her – most likely acute to the fact she was no longer snipping away busily.

"Yes." She replied shortly, handing him the pocket mirror.

"About time too." Tidus called. "We have to leave in about 10 minutes. Gotta meet up with the Aurochs at the blitz stadium, remember?"

"Aw, shoot!" Rikku exclaimed, jumping up off the couch. "And we still gotta get our stuff ready for the pool!"

She turned to face Lulu.

"C'mon, Lulu! You still gotta pick out one of my swim suits to borrow!"

And with that, Rikku bounded off to the bedroom, followed shortly by Yuna.

Lulu sighed, and made to follow them in resignation. However, just as she began to walk over, she felt a hand on her shoulder. She looked over to see Wakka grinning at her. He pointed to his hair.

"Thanks. You did a great job."

She stared back at him, and was almost about to smile in return when he suddenly leant in close and whispered into her ear.

"But, only a little better than when you were 7, ya."

End of chapter 9 :D

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Wow.

Omg.

An update after how long? Over a year at least. SORRY! Oh, and sorry for any grammatical/spelling mistakes ect. I'm so tired, writing most of this story past 12:00 in the morning. yawn I do re-read, and edit, but something always slips though.

ANYWAY!

sorry, for those people who were kind enough to stay with this slow moving story. sigh

Another chapter past, and still no big plot devices. When will I get to finally begin the story properly? I feel like I'm just writing fillers!

Mind you, I'm a little out of practice of writing – after not touching this fanfic for so long!

Well, I guess the real point of this chapter was to you all know that…I'm NOT dead. And I WILL be uploading more frequently, now that I'm back into the swing of things.

And, yes, the next chapter will kick off the beginning of something new. Originally, the 'big' things were going to happen in this chapter, but I ended up drawing out the haircutting and café scene for too long, and so I really didn't want to end up with a chapter that was over 10000 words, I mean, really. OO

So hang in there! I'm sorry! Thanks for all the lovely people who gave me some reviews- hopefully this chappie will quench your thirst for a little while. tumbleweed goes past Hehe, that is, if you haven't moved on from this story and quenched your thirst somewhere else.

Well, the next chappie will be lots of fun, more than just a pool. Of course. Heh, wasn't Wakka a little bit evil at the end of this chappie! How mean! Well, I'm trying not to make them too sappy. Hope I'm succeeding.

Well, see you soon hopefully, I will upload again, hopefully before the end of the month (fingers crossed)

Lulu-san

Oh yah (talking like wakka, ya?) any feedback is appreciated, I LOVE hearing your thoughts – the good, the bad and the ugly!


	10. Swimsuit JAMboree

Black Dreams, White Dreams

By Lulu-san

Chapter 10 – Swimsuit JAMboree

* * *

"Absolutely not."

It had only taken a quick glance for Lulu to decide that there was absolutely no way in Spira that she was going to put on any of the three swimsuits that Rikku was offering.

Rikku had laid each of them out on her bed, telling Lulu that she could wear any of them she wanted to – but Lulu didn't think she wanted to wear any of them.

The first one available was a white and pink hipster two piece bikini, with straps that wrapped around and came to rest in a loose bow at the front. It also, Lulu noted with a frown, had a small amount of decorative lace peeping out from behind the material, making it look slightly suspiciously like lingerie. She mentally blocked out a slightly disturbing image of herself wearing it – and shook her head in disgust. Such girly clothes really did not suit her style at all.

She moved her gaze onto the second swimsuit on offer. She was relieved to see that it, unlike the previous one, was somewhat more practically designed. It was a one piece suit – although perhaps a little too high and low cut in certain places for her liking. The pattern was a simple light blue, with a darker streak of navy running over from the left shoulder to the right leg opening. It didn't have straps however, and it was backless, but that didn't bother Lulu quite as much as the first suit.

"Well? Ready to try one on?" Rikku finally asked, rolling onto her back and toying aimlessly with one of the bikini straps.

"I'm still...deciding..." Lulu replied – (although she felt that perhaps 'analysing' was a far better word.)

She quickly looked at the last option – and was not surprised to see that just like the first option, it too was a bikini. However, unlike the first one, the bottoms were boy-leg cut – and seemed less revealing – even if the top was probably slightly worse – being triangles and held together only by a small halter strap. The print was red checks – but the straps were white.

Lulu sighed. Talk about caught between a rock and a hard place.

"Hurry up!" Rikku complained insistently while waggling her legs in the air. "Or the guys will leave without us."

Lulu shot her a glare, which infuriatingly bounced off her smiling face like light on a mirror – and causing Lulu to growl in her throat.

"Fine." She snapped, snatching the second option – the blue one piece.

"How did I know she'd pick the one piece?" Rikku said, rolling her eyes.

"Try it on?" Yuna encouraged.

"What, now? Here?" Lulu scowled as the two girls nodded.

She sighed again – in resignation this time.

"At least turn around." She ordered, her cheeks a little flushed.

"Whaaaa?" Rikku whined. "Why?"

Lulu wasn't exactly finicky about showing her body to Yuna or Rikku really – after all, they had all been there and done that many times before (baths or clean-ish lakes/ponds were hard to come by during the pilgrimage), and it wasn't anything new. However, she was, after all, somewhat of a private person – and the idea of stripping bare and trying on a tiny, revealing swimsuit in front of their eyes like a sort of show didn't exactly appeal to her.

"Just...turn around already!" Lulu grimaced, her eyebrows setting into a firm glare.

Rikku gave her a weary look, but eventually turned around and faced the wall.

Checking that Yuna was also definitely facing the opposite direction, Lulu once again inspected the stretchy piece of clothing, before dropping it onto the bed and beginning the process of undressing. She unlaced her trademark corset and let the whole outfit flop to the floor in a heap around her stockinged feet; the belts clanging loudly as they hit the ground.

"Done yet?" Rikku asked, looking over her shoulder.

"Don't peek!" Lulu almost yelped – surprised by her own reaction. She didn't...yelp! She coughed quickly. "Just a bit longer."

She reached down and methodically pulled off her stockings, one by one, before pulling off her underpants – the only item of clothing still remaining.

Standing there in the middle of the room, completely stark naked, Lulu felt somewhat vulnerable and humiliated - a feeling she hadn't consciously experienced for some time. It wasn't a nice feeling, and Lulu immediately wished she was back in her hut in Besaid. It wasn't homesickness or anything; it was simply the feeling of being over exhausted. She wanted to return to a safe, comfortable place – somewhere where she didn't feel so out of place. Snapping out of her self-pity, Lulu hugged her arms around herself quickly, before grabbing the swimsuit and stepping into it.

She pulled it easily over her legs; it fitted snugly over her hips and waist – causing her to wonder if perhaps she really had lost as much weight as Wakka had said – after all, she had never imagined herself to be the same size as Rikku – aka. 'that glutton of a stick'. However, as she began to pull it up over her torso, she discovered somewhat of a predicament. No matter how much she stretched the material, it just would not come up over her chest. She tugged it a little harder, wiggling from side to side to try and coax it into fitting – however no matter how hard she pulled it, it point-blank refused to cover any more than a portion of her lower breast – leaving her 90 exposed in the open air.

"And it WOULD be strapless, wouldn't it." She thought angrily – at least straps might have been able to provide some support in this situation.

"Geez, Lulu! What's taking so long?" Rikku complained – but still she obediently faced the wall.

"Yuna..." Lulu said hesitantly. "Do...you think you could give me a hand."

Rikku growled to herself, but remained with her back turned as Yuna slowly faced the rather red Lulu.

"Oh...Lulu..." was all Yuna managed to say, while trying to stifle some sort of smile.

"Huh, what, let me see too!" Rikku cried out quickly, forgetting her promise and spinning around to join them.

Lulu grimaced, waiting for the unstoppable giggles she was sure Rikku would produce. However, after a few silent seconds passed, she looked up to find Rikku staring at her in a sort of stunned shock, her mouth wide open and jaw dropped. Finally, after a few more silent seconds she looked up at Lulu with tearful eyes.

"How come you're THAT much bigger than me!" she wailed, throwing herself on the bed in despair and buying her face in a pillow. "I didn't think you'd be THAT much bigger!"

"There, there." Yuna said gently, trying to be comforting. "It's not that you're small, it's just that Lulu is abnormally huge."

"Hey-WHAT?" Lulu cried in outrage.

"Yeah…" sniffled Rikku, lifting her head. "I mean, that bathing suit was made for normal people right? I mean, it comes up way over my boobs, yet it barely even covers half of hers. I'M the normal one right? SHE'S the freak, right?"

"Yeah." Yuna agreed with a consoling pat on the back.

"Freak-wha?" Lulu repeated, a little taken aback.

"Yeah, who wants massive breasted women anyway!" blubbered Rikku.

There was a small silence.

"Men?" Yuna wondered aloud.

After eventually soothing Rikku back to a normal state (that previous comment from Yuna hadn't exactly gone down well), the task still remained for Lulu to pick out one of the swimsuits. The three girls analysed each of the remaining two suits, wondering if they would have the same disastrous result as the previous one.

"This one will fit!" Rikku eventually decided, handing the third option – the red-chequered boy-leg bottoms and top- to Lulu.

"Are you sure?" she asked sceptically.

"Uh-huh."

Lulu gave a long-suffering sigh, and began to change into it.

Rikku had been right about the bottoms at least, Lulu thought, inspecting how the final result in the mirror. However, she thought bitterly, the bottom of the last suit had fitted as well.

She gave the bikini top one last doubtful look, before slipping the halter around her neck, and adjusting it around her chest, before tying it up tight at the back.

"Well...what do you think?" she eventually asked Yuna and Rikku dubiously.

The two girls turned to face her.

"Wow, Lulu…it's really…" Yuna began.

"It's really…um…" Rikku repeated.

"What?" Lulu asked nervously.

"Sexy!" the two girls grinned simultaneously.

Once Rikku and Yuna had changed into the two remaining swimsuits (Yuna had ended up with the one piece – which fitted her just fine – despite the fact that Rikku continued to reinstate that she had bought it 'ages ago' and that she'd 'grown since then, you know!')

Lulu was just about to pull her old belts'n'fur dress back on, when Rikku suddenly stopped her.

"You're not wearing THAT are you?"

Lulu glared at her.

"What's it to you?"

Rikku returned the glare.

"We're going to the POOL." She retorted. "It'll get all wet and be uncomfortable and won't fit in AT ALL!"

Lulu actually considered this – it would be a pain to change in and out of again, not to mention how hot and heavy it was. She paused, then glared at Rikku again.

"It'll be fine." She said stubbornly, refusing to let herself be influenced by the little energetic al Bhed any longer.

"No, it won't!" Rikku seized the bottom of the dress and refused to let go. "Your bather straps will stick out at the top and everything...it just won't go and it'll look terrible!"

"Well, what should I wear instead, hmm!" Lulu challenged her.

There was a small silence.

"Well...we did go shopping today, remember?" Rikku teased.

Lulu scowled, but sighed and dropped the dress in resignation.

"I don't know why I let you push me around like this." She told Rikku with the smallest hint of a smile.

"Oh, so you LET me, now do you?" Rikku snickered.

The three girls chatted amongst themselves as they dressed (well, Rikku and Yuna chatted, with Lulu making the occasional comment). Lulu's new clothes felt light and comfortable, and she almost regretted not having put them on sooner. Feeling a little foolish, she found her eyes kept travelling back to the mirror, where her reflection was posing slightly in the new outfit.

"Right, well if Lulu's quite done admiring herself ("I wasn't!" Lulu denied angrily), I think it's time to go, don't you?" Rikku finally asked, slinging a small bag over her shoulder.

"Yeah!" Yuna agreed, but she tugged her shirt a little uncomfortably. "Still, I can never get used to not wearing any...support...while wearing bathers under clothes like this."

"Hah!" Rikku raised an eyebrow.

"Well...you know..." Yuna continued, slightly embarrassedly. "You feel so…free spirited, maybe?"

Rikku chuckled.

"Well, Lulu never wears any 'support', so she must be really free spirited!" she laughed.

Lulu growled. Rikku was pushing the joke a little bit too far now.

"I'll have you know that my corset has inbuilt support – and besides my chest isn't really as big as you think it is!" she outburst suddenly – just as Rikku opened the door to the living room, where Wakka and Tidus were waiting – both of who had very pink ears and were trying very hard to pretend that they hadn't heard that last little bit of Rikku, Yuna and Lulu's conversation.

"Geez, you girls took forever!" Tidus complained. "We're gonna be really late."

"Eh, hee...sorry!" Rikku smiled – as though a happy face would fix everything.

"Yeah, anyway, we should head off soon because- woah!" Wakka had turned to face the girls and his sentence cut off abruptly as he saw Lulu.

"Wow! Lu, you look great! You look really really gorgeous!" Wakka exclaimed, looking a little bit flustered.

"Ha ha, that's what's called an honest reaction." Tidus chuckled.

For a moment Lulu panicked, suddenly fearing that she had walked out of the bedroom in only her bathing suit and had forgotten to put her clothes back on.

"Wha-?" She frowned, before finally realising. "Oh. You hadn't seen them yet, had you, Wakka."

"Those are the new clothes you bought today, ya? Wakka smiled.

"Yes."

"Well, I ain't no fashion expert or anything ("Damn right." interrupted Tidus.), but I gotta say that they suit you really well." Wakka told her.

"Thank you." She replied shortly.

Lulu was a little flattered, but was beginning to tire of the attention – first it was "Let's take Lulu shopping!" then, "Let's have Lulu cut our hair!" and finally, "Let's make Lulu try on bikinis." It was enough to send anyone crazy – especially someone who'd had as little sleep as Lulu had recently had.

"Can we go yet?" Rikku whined.

"Whadd'ya mean 'can we go yet'?" Tidus exclaimed. "We've been waiting for YOU, you little rodent!"

"Haah?" Rikku retorted loudly. "Who's a rodent, you ferret! Burrowing into other people's beds in the early morning! I'm only glad you got the wrong bed! I'll be protecting Yunie tonight from your evil clutches!"

And the two of them continued to bicker as the group rushed their way to the Blitzball sphere stadium.

When they arrived at the stadium, Wakka and Tidus greeted the other Aurochs warmly, while at the same time apologising profusely for their lateness.

"Nah, it's okay." Datto replied easily. "Don't you worry, Wakka. We only got here a few minutes ago anyway."

"Really." Rikku shook her head from side to side. "You guys have gotta learn to be more punctual."

The Aurochs all laughed.

"Oh, does that mean you've already leant that particular attribute, Rikku?" Jassu chuckled.

Rikku flushed.

"Yes!" she exclaimed in such honesty, that it made them laugh all the harder.

After chatting a little longer – Wakka, Tidus and the Aurochs made their way down to the changing rooms, while the three girls headed up to the stadium seats to watch the practice.

The stadium was completely empty except for them, and Rikku was thrilled to be able to try out all the seats and discover which had the best viewing capabilities. Eventually they settled down towards the front, just as the players swum out into the sphere where they began to practice throws, shots and tricks.

As Lulu watched, she found her gaze often returning to Wakka. In her opinion, he was the most noticeable and captivating player on the team – although, she thought with a small smile, Yuna was probably thinking the same thing about Tidus. True, Tidus was an outstanding player, and was probably overflowing with unrestrained talent, but in Lulu's eyes, it was Wakka who stood out clearly in the sphere. She watched him as he directed the other players about, observing their movements and creating new strategies. Then – she watched with a well disguised fascination as they pulled off trick after trick under his command. He has some kind of poise – some type of odd charisma, she eventually decided. A strong presence which shone out from amongst all the others. However, he was no comparison to Chappu, who Lulu had always seen as some sort of sporting freak of nature. Naturally, as Chappus brother, Wakka would certainly have some sort of blitzball talent – it wasn't like she was making bizarre observations or conclusions. She knew that her eyes were drawn to him because of his talent and his resemblance to her late fiancé. It was nothing more than that.

Rikku turned away from the blitzball sphere to give Lulu a wicked smile.

"So, Lulu!" She smirked. "Who're you watching like you're a ravenous fiend, and they're a large piece of hot, juicy meat!"

Lulu cocked an eyebrow, almost wanting to laugh at Rikku's absurd analogy.

"Do I have to be watching someone in particular?" she questioned. "Why would you think that? I'm observing all the players, of course."

"Yeah, as if, with THAT expression!" Rikku sniggered.

Lulu rolled her eyes.

"This may come as a shock to you, Rikku." She said patronisingly slowly. "But not everyone lives in a hormonal adolescent world. Some of us have other things on our minds other than boys."

"Yeah." Rikku agreed. "It's just a pity you don't fall into that category."

Lulu made a growling noise in her throat, resisting the urge to strangle the small Al Bhed.

"Rikku." She said very calmly and seriously. "I am not a teenager any longer. I'm not sure why you're always seeking the opportunity to find some sort of romantic, young, boy-crazy personality within me. I'm too old of all of that now. I've had my time, and now…well, it's time to face reality."

Her face hardened as she continued.

"Once, as I'm sure you know by now, I was...I had...I had Chappu. And that was fun. I was...so happy then. And, I had that time, which I am grateful for. There's no reason to try and recapture that feeling."

Yuna had turned to face them by now, and she listened with a saddened expression.

"So, Rikku. That's all there is to it really. There's no point to trying to read hidden meanings inside me – nor even trying read some sort of relationship between myself and Wakka that is beyond friends (I still haven't forgiven you for the other night at that restaurant, you know) because it is simply not there. I'm sorry if that's boring, and I'm sorry if you're disappointed. But, that's the truth."

Rikku sat silent for a few moments, contemplating Lulu's sudden speech. She closed her eyes slowly, then looked up at Lulu with a determined frown.

"I don't believe in that." She said firmly and clearly. "Lulu, you're 24 years old. You're only just an adult yourself. You may be wise, and you may seem like you're so much more mature than anyone else I know – even Pops - but where did you come up with such…immature ideas? Humans are falling in love all the time. Why would you cut yourself short? When I was eight, I was cruelly dumped by the love of my life – but that's never stopped me from moving on! True, my idea of attracting his attention was to hide little grenades in his pencil case – but that's beside the point!"

Rikku took a deep breath and continued.

"I know that you and Chappu really, truly loved each other very much. But, Lulu, your heart isn't so small that you could only fit in love for one person, is it? So, why would you never want to have that experience again? Surely, you would want to determinedly find someone who you could share that same feeling with – surely, that's what Chappu would want as well, isn't it?"

There was a small silence, in which Rikku gave Lulu a concerned look, before hanging her head slightly.

"Sorry..." she said quietly. "Me and my big mouth got carried away again."

Lulu smiled gently.

"Don't be dumb." She told her. "What good would friends be if they couldn't stand up to me? Thanks...for your concern. But really, it's not a problem. It's not like I'm lonely or anything."

However, even as the words left her mouth, a small voice in the back of her head contradicted her – but she pushed it away insistently.

The three girls sat in silence for a long time. Lulu emptied her mind of all thoughts and focused her attention completely on the repetitive and somehow methodically soothing movements of the blitzball players. Judging by their blank faces and glazed eyes, she had a feeling that both Yuna and Rikku were doing the exact same thing.

Eventually, Wakka and Tidus waved up at them from the sphere – signifying the end of their practice.

"C'mon!" Rikku said quickly. "Let's go meet them by the sphere exit."

They quickly left their seats, and hurried down to the area in which the players would exit and enter the actual sphere – and as a result of their hurrying they arrived before any of the players had actually left the water.

"Aw, damn!" Rikku scuffed her shoe against the wall. "Now we have to wait."

"Hmm, whose idea was it to rush anyway?" Lulu replied dryly. "Don't you complain, now!"

Rikku glowered, but her sulking was cut off abruptly when one of the change room doors opposite them opened suddenly, and a number of members from the Luca Goers Team walked out.

One of the men, who had short red hair and a rather macho appearance stopped as he passed them.

"Can I help you ladies?" he asked them, raising an eyebrow questionably.

"No thank you." Yuna replied politely. "We're just waiting for some friends who are finishing up practice just about now."

"I see..." he replied, before his face suddenly lit up in recognition. "Oh! You're the Great Summoner Yuna."

Yuna smiled politely, but she remained composed and somewhat cold. There was something about his attitude and mannerisms that she wasn't too keen on.

"And," he continued, giving Lulu and Rikku a smooth, slick smile. "You must be the two beautiful female guardians."

Lulu nodded curtly, but Rikku smiled warmly – most likely she didn't get called 'beautiful' too frequently. Or perhaps it was the 'female' part she was happy about – Lulu wasn't sure.

"I suppose you must be waiting for the Besaid Aurochs, right?" he asked them, just as the door to the Blitzball sphere whooshed open and the Aurochs emerged looking slightly worn and damp, but glowing with confident energy.

"Hey!" Wakka called happily to them – but he stopped as he caught sight of the Luca Goers lurking nearby.

"New friend, Lu?" he asked Lulu, gesturing his head towards the man they had just been talking to.

The man extended a hand to Wakka, who shook it courteously.

"Name's Redden." he said. "Newly appointed captain of the Luca Goers. Gotta whip these slackers into shape, if we want to steal your trophy this year."

Wakka laughed warmly.

"Not much time, if you're starting now." He chuckled.

"We'll see." Redden replied shortly, with a hard smile.

Wakka frowned a little, but let the comment go without much thought.

"Well, then!" Rikku interrupted. "We ladies will leave you guys to shower and change and freshen up."

"Okay!" Tidus agreed with a nod.

"Meet you just outside!" Yuna gestured to the area between the stadium and the rest of Luca port.

"Sure!" Wakka smiled as the three girls headed off.

"See ya sometime soon, ladies!" Redden smiled at them, giving Lulu a wink as she passed.

As soon as they were far out of earshot, Redden turned to Wakka and gave him a knowing smirk.

"Man, she's hot, don't you think?"

Wakka stuttered a little.

"W-who?" He asked.

"That girl...the dark haired one...what did you call her...Lu?"

Wakka frowned deeply.

"That's Lulu, to you." He almost growled, and was surprised by his own aggressiveness.

"Oh, sorry!" Redden said. "Didn't realise you two were already together."

"Oh...no, we're not." Wakka quickly retreated. "But, we-"

"Great!" Redden gave Wakka a sordid wink. "So that means she's available?"

Wakka didn't like how this conversation was proceeding at all. Ignoring the raised eyebrow Tidus was giving him and the bemused look he was receiving from the Aurochs, he folded his arms across his chest and tried for what he hoped was an intimidating expression.

"Actually, I think she's already interested in someone else." He said firmly. "So, I think you'd had better back down. And, I doubt she'd be interested in someone who doesn't ask her about herself directly anyway. And-"

"Whoa, whoa!" Redden smirked. "If you had a thing for her, you should have just said so sooner!"

Wakka flushed red.

"That's not what I was saying." He growled. "I was just informing you of the situation, ya."

"I see."

"That's right." Wakka finally said, before turning and huffing off towards the changing room, followed by the Aurochs and Tidus, leaving the smirking Redden behind.

"That lecherous jerk!" Wakka fumed, turning the shower on full blast in the changing room.

"Whoa, slow down now!" Tidus turned on the shower next to him, and sighed in content as the hot water gushed over his shoulders.

"I mean," he continued, rubbing a hand through his blonde hair. "You can't stop Lulu from dating other guys, if she wants to!"

"I never said that's what I wanted to do!" Wakka objected stubbornly. "Just guys like him!"

Tidus chuckled.

"Yeah, guys like him, and any other type of guy who expresses an interest. You shot him down so badly, I'm surprised he's still standing!"

Wakka growled something unintelligible, but it was clear that Tidus had hit the main point of the issue.

"Look, Wakka." Tidus sighed wearily. "You can't have first dibs on her forever!"

Wakka stared open mouthed at him.

"It's that obvious that you're in love with her, Wakka." Tidus said gently.

Wakka's jaw dropped.

"It...it is?" he asked as his ears turned a little red.

Tidus nodded.

"It's been obvious to me at least, since I met you."

"Hah..." Wakka replied weakly. "Is that so...D'ya think she knows?"

Tidus pondered this for a moment.

"No." he concluded. "Well, not really. It's...complicated, isn't it. Drawing the line between love and such close friendship."

Wakka gave a small laugh.

"You got it." He smiled sadly.

"But, look, if you don't make your feelings clear enough, then it won't be any of your business if she does decide to fall in love with some other guy one day."

Wakka closed his eyes, and looked away from Tidus.

"I...know that, ya?" he replied tightly. "You said it yourself, it's complicated."

The two men stood there in silence for some time, the only sound being the rush of the showers and the occasional slipping noise of their bare feet on the tiled floor.

"You're pretty admirable, you know that?" Tidus suddenly said.

"Huh?" Wakka looked at him in surprise. "Me?"

"Yeah." Tidus studied a chipped tile in front of him thoughtfully. "Holding back all the time. I don't know how you do it!"

"What do you mean?" Wakka asked suspiciously.

"You know!" Tidus grinned. "You're sharing a bed with the woman you've been in love with for years, but you come near her – let alone touch her!"

"Yeah." Wakka chuckled to himself. "The only action she got was from you, you little perv!"

Tidus groaned.

"Yeah, it was a mistake already." He complained. "I got the wrong bed, don't get too jealous."

"Well, I gotta say, I'm glad I protected Yuna pretty well while we were on the pilgrimage!" Wakka laughed. "With you on the loose, who knows what could have happened."

Tidus laughed as well, making a mental note never, ever to let Wakka know what happened in the lake that night in Macalania Woods.

"Yeah, well." Wakka said, as they stopped laughing. "It's not exactly easy to always hold back. But it's better to deal with controlling my own feelings than risking it all for a moment or something."

"It must be tough." Tidus said sympathetically.

"Yeah." Wakka said almost inaudibly, turning off the shower and rubbing his hands over his wet face. "It is."

And with that, the conversation ended and the two men dressed in silence before leaving the change room and heading off to meet the women who seemed to cause them so much heartache (with the exception of Rikku of course).

As they approached the three girls, Lulu give Wakka a small smile and he knew that his heartache and suppressed feelings weren't as painful, weren't so bad as long as he could still stay beside her for now at least.

"Well." Rikku was desperately controlling her excitement. "Can we leave now?"

Tidus laughed.

"Why not?" he smiled, and together the group headed off in the direction of Luca's biggest pool.

End of chapter 10

* * *

Geez! Another 10 page chapter and they're not even at the pool yet! Collapses and falls into a large pit

Originally, I split it into two – but I feel it works better as one.

Well, I'm not sure, but while writing it – half the fun is making up all the silly little conversations that they have…I hope half the fun of reading it comes from this as well….ya?

Well...I did say I'd update sooner than last time – a month or two is better than a year, right? Right!

Haha, I really liked Wakka towards the end of this chapter – he's so defensive! Silly little bum that he is! I figured it was about time someone told him he was about as subtle as a bright yellow brick.

Anyway, I hoped you enjoyed the chapter! The second half of it just flowed and all came out really easy – I wrote it all in almost one go – stayed up until quite late in the morning because I was on a roll!

Did you like Redden or not really? Do you want him to make some more appearances? Well, he'll be turning up a bit at least – don't know how 'main' he'll be – probably not very. I mean, this is all about Wakka and Lulu! (shoo, pesky little sub-characters, shoo!)

Well, let me know what you thought – any feedback is much much loved!

Oh, and this chappie is for Casper23 who has seems to have been hanging out for it – sorry for the wait o

See you all next time

Lulu-san


	11. Lick for Lick? Mouth to Mouth?

Black Dreams, White Dreams

By Lulu-san

Chapter 11 – Lick for lick? Mouth to mouth?

* * *

The pool that Rikku eventually guided them too was not only big, it was also very expensive. Lulu scanned the admission price list with a creased brow, before sighing.

"Isn't there somewhere cheaper we could go?" she asked crossly, looking pointedly at Rikku.

"Well, I want to go here." Rikku said stubbornly. "It's new, it's modern and it's SUPER cool!"

"Haven't you got freebies?" Lulu persisted, equally stubbornly.

"Man, give it a break, Lulu!" Tidus teased, patting her shoulder. "If you really, really, really can't shoulder the debt of a poor little pool admission fee, I'll treat you!"

Wakka, who had just been about to offer to pay for Lulu, returned his wallet to his pocket with a glare at Tidus.

"Oh, forget it." Lulu finally said, raising her palms in defeat. "Let's just get this over with."

"Excuse me!" Rikku exclaimed in disbelief. "I think you're forgetting – this is supposed to be FUN!"

"Of course." Lulu muttered sarcastically – although she felt a tinge of embarrassment. She hadn't intended for her behaviour to spoil everybody else's good time.

After (begrudgingly) paying for her ticket, Lulu followed the group to the interior of the complex, and was taken aback by the sudden rush of noise and humidity. It was a huge centre – with many different pools of varying size and depth. And judging by the crowd sizes, it seemed that almost everyone in Luca had turned out to escape the stifling heat outside. The actual area around the pool was surrounded by windows and tropical plants littered every possible surface. Looking at the carefree scene, it was hard to believe that only a few years ago, Spira had just begun rebuilding itself after Sin's final defeat.

Rikku stretched her arms above her head in excitement.

"Mmmm!" she grinned happily hopping from foot to foot. "I can't WAIT!"

She turned to Wakka and Tidus.

"You guys find a nice spot to set up our towels, and us girls are going to go and get changed!" she told them, before seizing Lulu and Yuna by the hand and practically dragging them towards the changing rooms.

"Lulu, is there something the matter?"

Yuna bent anxiously over Lulu, who was sitting on the changing room bench with her knees to her chest. She had already taken off her clothes and was sitting in her bikini waiting for Rikku and Yuna. However, during this time she was unexplainably overcome with a nervous, panicked feeling.

"I'm just fine." Lulu heard herself say. "Are you almost ready now?"

Yuna gave her a worried look, and Lulu smiled to convince her.

"No, really." She reassured her. "Just hoping I still know how to swim. It's been…a long time."

Yuna gave her a warm smile.

"Don't worry." She said softly. "You're a Besaid girl at heart, remember? Have some confidence."

It was funny, Lulu thought, how Yuna always seemed to know the right thing to say. Just a few words of support, and Lulu was already feeling somewhat more confident. Yuna was someone worth admiring, and Lulu respected and loved her dearly.

She stood up and hugged her quickly.

"If you worry about me, I'll worry about you – so don't!" She told her with a smile, which Yuna returned warmly.

At this moment, Rikku who had been in the toilet, came back into the changing room and approached the two girls. Lulu expected her to jump around happily, and ask if they could 'get out there and go now' or something; but instead, Rikku put her hands on her hips and frowned. Lulu sensed trouble.

"Hey… Lulu." Rikku eventually asked.

"Yes…" Lulu replied hesitantly.

"You can't really wear your hair like that in the pool."

Lulu's hand automatically rose to touch the long braids.

"Why not?" she demanded.

"Well, it's just that you've got them all done up in this bun, with those ornaments – you know, they'll get all tangly and messy."

Yuna nodded. Lulu knew they had a point, but…

"So what's the alternative?" she asked grumpily.

Rikku grinned.

OOOOO

"Man, what is KEEPING them?" Tidus complained for the third time.

"Beats me." Wakka replied, laying back on his beach towel lazily. "They'll probably turn up…sometime…"

He closed his eyes and let his muscles relax. The afternoon's training had been strenuous, but he still hoped to be in top condition for the tournament tomorrow.

Although he and Tidus would wear their blitz outfits at the Blitzball sphere, at the pool they had changed into simple shorts – afterall, the blitz outfits were a little too heavy for just mucking around in the water.

"Aha, I think I see them coming!" Tidus suddenly announced, interrupting Wakka's doze. He propped himself up on his elbows, and squinted into the direction that Tidus was pointing in.

"Thanks for waiting!" Rikku called as she charged over to them, Yuna and Lulu following only a few paces behind.

Wakka looked up at Lulu, intending to greet her casually, however his vocabulary seemed to desert him in this critical moment and he found himself suddenly unable to make a sound.

If Wakka had thought himself unsuitable for her before, he had now set this theory in concrete and sealed it forever. Lulu looked simply amazing, and he felt his confidence shrinking by the second. Somehow, he had no idea why, but she had been convinced to let her hair almost completely out –with only a few strands tied loosely at the back of her head. The rest of it tumbled down her bare back and shoulders in silky waves, reaching her upper thigh. Speaking of thighs, Wakka almost looked away from her almost completely uncovered body in embarrassment. The bikini that Rikku had lent her complemented the elegant curves of her body, and accentuated her stunning figure.

Only, Wakka thought with concern, she was still far too painfully thin. Perhaps it wasn't noticeable to others, but his eyes were drawn to the shadows of her ribs sticking out, or the fragile appearance of her small waist. Still, Wakka couldn't help but stare in awe of how stunning his childhood friend had grown up to be. Feeling like a stupid primary school student, Wakka forced himself to get a grip and stop gaping. She wasn't the only beautiful woman he had ever seen, after all.

He had no idea why she had agreed to wear the bikini, and it wasn't like he was complaining, but he was just a little bit…overwhelmed. And he wasn't the only one. He noticed that Lulu was attracting stares from many of the other guys in the area, and it made him feel uneasy.

He coughed embarrassedly.

"Wow, very sexy, Lulu!" Tidus exclaimed, giving her a roughish wink.

"Isn't it?" Rikku agreed, nodding in satisfaction.

Wakka noticed Lulu glancing at him occasionally. He looked away, feeling his ears getting hotter.

"Um…" he began, mumbling a little.

She looked at him.

"Um…you look….nice." he finished lamely.

"Haha!" Tidus cracked up. "Now, THAT'S what you call an honest reaction!"

"Aw, shuddup, ya!" Wakka replied angrily, looking grumpily away with burning red ears.

But Lulu sat down beside him on the towel, and gave him a tiny smile.

"Thanks, I think." She told him out of the corner of her mouth – so that it wasn't able to be overheard. "Although, I might as well be skinny dipping for all the covering it does! It's far too…well, 'Rikku' like for me."

"Uhmm.", was all that Wakka could reply.

He was thinking very hard of something more intelligent and impressive to say when Rikku suddenly interrupted his thoughts.

"C'mon!" she exclaimed in outrage. "Let's go SWIM already!"

Both Wakka and Lulu gave her a weary look, but agreed.

OOOOO

To be honest, Lulu actually quite enjoyed the first pool they entered. While Rikku, Yuna and Tidus splashed each other enthusiastically, she simply waded around waist deep in the water. The water lapped over her pale skin, and its cool caress was very comfortable. However, she noted, Wakka didn't seem to be enjoying himself very much at all – especially for someone who spent half his life swimming. He stood in the water, a few paces away from her, leaning against the pool wall with folded arms and glaring at anyone who crossed his path.

She sunk deeper into the water, until it almost touched her ribs and watched him as he continued to scowl at a group of young men nearby. She frowned, and waded over to him.

"What's wrong?" she asked, crossing her arms in a similar way to his own.

"Huh?" Wakka snapped out of his scowl, and looked almost surprised at her question. "What do you mean?"

"Oh, nothing." She replied sarcastically. "Only, I'm making an effort here, but you're just standing here glaring at anyone and everyone."

He looked somewhat ashamed, and avoided her gaze.

"So, what's wrong?" She demanded, narrowing her eyes at him.

He remained silent, although his ears turned slightly pink. She felt like throttling him, but resigned just to growl in her throat.

Finally, after a few more standoffish seconds, she suddenly reached into the water and half heartedly splashed a little water into his face.

"It's supposed to be fun, isn't it?" she said dryly, repeating Rikku's words from earlier. "Lighten up, back to your usual boisterousness."

Wakka froze for a few moments and the water Lulu had splashed on him dripped down his chin and back into the pool. Suddenly, he seemed to snap back into life and grinned evilly at her. Sensing a foreboding of what he was about to do, Lulu hurriedly retreated away from him.

"No, Wakka…" she began in a strict voice while continuing to bob further and further away from him. "If you do this, I'll never…I'll never…"

But Lulu's final words were cut off as Wakka thrust both hands into the water and sent a massive spray of water right into her face. She yelped in surprise as the impact of the water hit her, causing her to loose her footing and crash backwards with an almighty splash.

Wakka laughed heartily as she emerged ungracefully from the water, glaring furiously at him through her now sodden hair.

"You should've know better, ya!" he grinned, extending a hand to help her up. She took it begrudgingly, before having second thoughts, and using it to pull him face first down into the water beside her. When he surfaced a few moments later, with an expression of pure indignation, she grinned at him maliciously.

"Soo, ya…who should have known better?" she mocked him while waggling her finger patronisingly.

"Arrgh…" Wakka grinned back. "You got me, ya."

But neither of them had been prepared for the tidal-wave sized splash that hit them from behind – sent by the combination force of Rikku, Yuna and Tidus who had decided to join in the fun.

OOOOO

"Really!" Wakka complained, towel drying his messy hair. "That was really cruel, you three!"

The group had retreated from the pool after Lulu had almost electrocuted Rikku, who had tried to dunk her (she had only stopped upon the realisation that she would consequently electrocute herself and everyone else in the pool as well.)

Now, the blonde al Bhed was digging through her bag, tossing items from in until she finally dragged out a small, pink and rather worn wallet.

"Who wants an ice-cream?" she called, waving it around happily.

Everyone raised their hand, except Lulu who averted her eyes, apparently finding great interest in the plant next to her. However, both Wakka and Yuna seized her arms, raising them in the air for her.

"Okay, so that's…why, everyone!" Rikku teased, before jumping to her feet and racing off to the canteen.

"Wait!" Tidus called, as she sped off. "Wakka and I will help you carry them!"

He turned to Yuna and Lulu.

"Try not to miss us too much, ladies!" he smirked, before chasing after Rikku – closely followed by Wakka.

"Oh…my." Lulu sighed, resting her chin in her hand. "They're all so energetic."

Yuna smiled knowingly.

"You're not all that old yourself, Lulu!" she reminded her.

"Yes, and everyone seems to be reminding me of it lately." She replied wearily.

Lulu and Yuna sat in a contented silence for some time. Yuna sat resting against her bag, reading the same thick book she had been when Lulu was cutting everyone's hair, while Lulu – who was a little too self conscious to lay down – simply sat hugging her legs up to her chest and leaning her arms and chin on them.

However, their relaxed silence was suddenly broken by the arrival of a group of three young men, who Lulu recognised as the group Wakka had been scowling at in the pool.

"Hi!" one of them said to Yuna, flopping down in front of her with a big smile. "How's it going?"

Yuna paused, and looked up from her book at them.

The tallest man squatted down in front of Lulu, and looked at her intently.

"Hey, now that the scary big guys have finally left you alone – how about hanging out with us for a while?" he asked her brightly.

Great, she thought, exchanging a hopeless look with Yuna. If only Rikku hadn't dashed off so quickly – she could have been useful for once. Neither she nor Yuna had much experience with being picked up – and neither of them knew how to reject them tactfully.

"Um, well…actually…" Yuna began hesitantly. "It's just that those 'scary guys' are…well…"

"Ah, don't worry about us!" the man in front of Lulu said confidently, turning to face Yuna. "We can take 'em on any day!"

"No, no, that's not what I meant!" Yuna quickly corrected herself. "It's just that…well, it's not like we don't want to hang out or anything…it's just that, that…"

"We're already…taken." Lulu interjected firmly, to which Yuna sent her a grateful smile.

"Oh…I see." The group got to their feet and gave them an apologetic smile. "That's too bad. Maybe next time eh?"

"Yes…maybe next time?" Yuna replied uncertainty.

With a final wave the group walked away, leaving Yuna and Lulu alone once again.

"Phew…" Yuna sighed with her head drooping. "That wasn't much fun."

She stretched her arms in front of her, and gave Lulu a funny look over her shoulder.

"But, Lulu?" she asked slyly. "Who are _you_ taken by, then?"

Luckily Lulu never had to answer that question, as that moment was marked by the arrival of Rikku, Wakka and Tidus with the ice-creams.

"Wha'cha talking about?" Rikku asked as she passed Yuna an orange and pineapple icy-pole.

"Oh…nothing really." Yuna replied, with another sly look at Lulu – who pretended not to notice.

"Hey, Lu!" Wakka had flopped down beside Lulu. "Your ice-cream."

Lulu turned to face him, expecting a simple orange icy-pole like Yuna's, but came face to face with a huge, sickly sweet, chocolate topped soft-serve ice-cream instead.

"Wha-what's this?" She demanded as Wakka pushed the proffered ice-cream into her hand.

"Just the biggest, richest, chocolate creamiest ice-cream on the menu." He replied casually – grinning wickedly at her outrage.

"And I'm supposed to eat it, am I?" She asked irritably.

"You got it, ya." He answered, before returning to the task of licking his own ice-cream.

She frowned, but tentatively licked the tip of the cold, soft ice-cream and found that it was actually quite delicious.

"I suppose…once in a while is okay." She thought as she set about eating the treat. "I may as well enjoy it."

Wakka watched his old friend eat the rich ice-cream with a sort of satisfied pride – after all, he had chosen it.

He noted with amusement, that she still licked her ice cream in the same way she had when they were both kids on Besaid – first licking the top, before evening out the sides – so that it kept a perfect round shape. Ice-cream had been a real treat when they were kids – as it wasn't sold all year round. Occasionally – usually in the summer – it would be shipped in from Luca or Kilika amongst other rare foods. Wakka remembered fondly the days that Chappu or he would spot it being sold in the vendor and quickly rush to the temple to find either Lulu or Yuna. The four of them would scrounge whatever gil they could find, and when they had gathered enough, they would troop proudly off to the vendor to purchase their much awaited treat. Each of them would choose a different flavour – so that they could all taste the different options. Of course, this sharing was carefully monitored – on a 'lick for lick' system – which was - 'you lick mine, then I'll lick yours'.

Wakka smiled fondly as he remembered – but was soon broken out of his nostalgia as his ice-cream had begun to melt, and was trickling over his fingers. He quickly licked off the sticky mess, noting with embarrassment that Lulu was managing to eat her ice-cream very cleanly and evenly – despite the fact it was bigger than his. He felt so…grubby.

Lulu had noticed Wakka's eyes continually flicking back to her as he ate his own ice-cream, and with a sigh she turned to him and held out her own ice-cream towards him.

"Want a taste or something?" she enquired with a raised eyebrow.

Wakka returned the suspicious look.

"What, lick for lick?" he replied with a grin.

"If you like." She retorted.

He took the ice-cream from her outstretched hand, and passed his own over. He watched as she took a small taste of his 'mint-choco-chip swirl' ice-cream, and tried very hard not to look at her lips or tongue. In fact, he tried very hard not to think of anything at all – least of all anything that would make him blush. In an attempt to achieve this, he briskly looked away from her and took a large bite out of the ice-cream, while simultaneously banishing the words 'indirect' and 'kiss' from his thoughts.

"Wakka!" she suddenly exclaimed angrily. "That's not a lick – you've eaten half it."

"Hah?" he replied in confusion, before looking down to realise that in his attempt to ignore any indecent thoughts, he had absentmindedly chomped through a fair part of her ice-cream, without even really tasting it. Although, he found it somewhat amusing that all it took to break the ice maiden's cool was to eat half her ice-cream- obviously she still remembered how treasured such treats had been during their childhood.

"Hmph." She scowled before intentionally and obviously taking a huge bite out of his mint-choco-chip swirl cone before handing it back to him.

"Oi, Lu!" he exclaimed laughing as he returned hers.

They finished their ice-creams quietly, without much chatter or conversation. Even Rikku had nothing to say for once.

Eventually Lulu stood up and stretched.

"If you don't mind," she began. "I think I'll take a quiet swim on my own."

"Wha-?" Rikku moaned. "Why on your own."

"Because." Lulu stated firmly. "Because I want to. And because I want to enjoy a little bit of peace and quiet underwater, without being dunked or splashed or drowned or anything else in that genre."

And with that, she gave them a brisk wave and headed off towards the pool. She had spotted a smallish lap pool before, which had looked empty. But where was it? She began to search.

OOOOO

Wakka watched Lulu as she left the group and became lost in the crowd around the pools. He too, rose to his feet.

"I'm just…y'know, going to have a look round…ya?" he mumbled to nobody in particular before also heading off into the crowd. He hadn't gone far before he spotted Lulu (who stood out easily from the crowd) walking slowly around the pools – occasionally stopping and looking around her. He watched from behind a large plastic fern as she padded around the waterslide and spa towards a medium sized rectangular lap pool.

However, just as Lulu stopped to take another look around her, a group of fairly young men approached her- and once of them placed a hand on her shoulder while the others smiled welcomingly. Wakka frowned in concern, and instantly began to hurry over to her with the intention of telling the obvious hooligans to clear off. However, before he'd even taken a few steps forward she had already waved them away briskly. Wakka quickly retreated to his spot behind the plastic fern, wishing that he could be just a little more impressive to her – a bit more macho and manly, someone who she could rely on to look out for her. Someone a bit more like…Chappu. Wakka scowled, hating the twinge of jealousy that he was feeling.

Suddenly, a cool hand tapped his shoulder briskly, startling him out of his sulk.

"You know, I've never known a girl who's fallen in love with her stalker." Tidus said dryly, squatting down beside Wakka.

"Shut up." Wakka grumbled, wishing that Tidus hadn't crept up on him in such a way.

He was already feeling extremely foolish for being discovered following Lulu, even more so as Tidus would probably now think he was either incredibly over protective or incredibly desperate. Which, he realised with an even deeper scowl, he probably was.

"Aw, c'mon Wakka!" Tidus sighed, patting his shoulder consolingly. "Leave her be for a bit. Come and have some fun with us!"

"Yeah…." Wakka replied unhappily, before following Tidus back to where Yuna and Rikku were waiting in line for the waterslide. He briefly looked over his shoulder as he left, but Lulu had already vanished into the crowd.

When Lulu eventually did find her small lap pool, she was delighted to find that is was, as she had previously thought, empty and thus left her free to enjoy an uninterrupted swim. She pushed her hair over her shoulders and gently lowered herself into the cool water. Although it was not terribly large, the pool was extremely deep – she wondered if it was used for diving or blitz practice.

After treading water for a few moments she slowly dipped her head underwater and swum leisurely for a few metres, with her long hair fanning out gently behind her. She came up for air, and floated on the surface – bathed in the bright light from above. However, it wasn't long before she immersed herself underwater again, and swum deeper into the pool.

Wakka was probably right, Lulu thought to herself as she swam. He had told her once, that all Besaidians were born with a fish-like urge to swim – that there was no place more relaxing than underwater. She couldn't have agreed with him more when she was younger – she, Chappu and Wakka would be in and out of the sea everyday – and Lulu could have sworn that she was just a good a swimmer as either of the two boys. However, a short while after Yuna arrived on the island, Lulu stopped swimming quite as much, and began to spend more time studying at the temple. And then, a few years later, she had ceased to swim at all – forgetting just how wonderful the sensation of weightlessness was.

But now, as Lulu swam evenly and consistently below the surface of the pool in the clear, cool water, she felt more calm and relaxed than she had been in a long time. Gazing up at the water's surface from below, with the dappled light playing upon her face and hearing nothing but the occasional burble of the water around her, she closed her eyes and smiled.

There was just one thing that had changed about the whole swimming process though, Lulu realised after she had been swimming for some time. For some reason, she just wasn't able to hold her breath quite a long as she used to be able to. A minute, maybe two – but nothing compared to how long the Blitzball players were able to. She rose to the surface, gasping quietly as she struggled to catch her breath again. A frown creased her forehead, and she began to wonder just how much her fitness had degraded lately. After puzzling this for a while, she eventually decided she would test her fitness and body by seeing how far down she could dive, and how long she could hold her breath while down there. She gave the water below her a wary look, before taking a huge breath and quickly diving down towards the bottom.

At first, it was easy going. Her body cut through the water smoothly, resisting the pull of gravity that wanted to return her to the surface. However, as Lulu swum deeper, the water pressure began to hurt her ears and resiting the pull of gravity became hard work. She gritted her teeth, and continued to swim – despite the fact she was beginning to weaken.

Suddenly she felt a sharp jolt of pain in her stomach, and she gasped in agony. She clutched her waist with one hand, while using the other to quickly steer herself back up towards the surface. However, another similar stab of pain caused her to convulse again, this time causing all the air in her lungs to rush out into the water as she opened her mouth instinctively to cry in pain. She coughed and spluttered as she inhaled water in its place, and the chlorine stung terribly in her nose and throat, causing her to choke. As the pain in her stomach began to throb and spread around her body, she slowly became weaker and weaker – her mind a white blank as she struggled to reach the surface, which seemed to be miles and miles above her head

As Lulu slowly began to loose consciousness, she vaguely wondered if she had overdone it by eating such a rich ice-cream before swimming – but this thought vanished in a millisecond as the watery world around her blacked out into nothingness.

"_Ah_." She thought, as her unconscious mind rushed around in circles._ "A dream again?" _

Lulu was now completely unconscious, and therefore quite oblivious to the fact that she was now drowning. However, her brain – which was fast running out of oxygen, began repeating the same dream she's encountered for months and months, however in its panicked state, it played in all in pieces, some in a fast rush, others blurred together.

_She stood on the Besaid beach, as rain poured down on the hot sand below – a blur that might have been Wakka rushed past – his face was clear as he ran, but when Lulu tried to look closer, he vanished into the darkness around her. _

_Dead friends littered the sand around her, vanished – then the horribly disfigured face of a dying Chappu rushed straight into her vision, before also fading into the darkness._

_Memories sped on by her, flickers of light, sound and colour. She felt cold, tired and there was a sudden longing to close her eyes and fall asleep. Lulu lowered her chin, and rested her eyes closed. It seemed so easy, just to close it all off and give in to the fatigue. _

_However, just as the darkness began to close in around her, a warm hand on her cheek caused her eyes to snap open in surprise._

_The dream had slowed down again, and had rested at the moment where she stood face to face with a concerned Wakka. They stood barely centimetres apart as the rain beat down on them angrily. She could feel his ragged breath on her face – and something in the back of Lulu's mind clicked in realisation. She had seen this scene before – it was always the same in this dream. She didn't know why, but she and Wakka would almost kiss – and then Chappu would appear beside them in a furious state._

_Wakka drew closer, and she closed her eyes in dismayed resignation. Any second now, Chappu would appear. Any second now, he would appear beside her, clear as day. Any second… _

_Suddenly, she felt Wakka's warm lips press lightly upon hers, and she flinched in surprise._

_Wasn't Chappu supposed to interrupt here? Her mind blankly wondered, as Wakka's lips pressed a little harder against hers._

Lulu's eyes snapped open, and she sat bolt upright in panic and shock – gasping and hyperventilating heavily as her breath came dry and raspy. Wakka had been bent over her, pale with concern, and Yuna, Tidus and Rikku sat surrounding her – their faces creased in worry. She spluttered, coughed and suddenly retched violently, bringing up a small amount of water.

"Lu…are you okay?" Wakka asked, his voice shaking in relief.

She stared at him for a few moments, before slowly coming to grips with the situation. She was lying flat on her back beside the pool she had just been swimming in, and a small group of concerned or interested people and gathered in a crowd around her.

"Lu?" Wakka questioned again, gently patting her on the arm.

She nodded unsurely, and Wakka turned to the small crowd.

"She's okay now." he announced quietly. "So, how about some space, ya?"

The crowd subsided slowly, and Lulu looked around her in slight bewilderment as their murmuring faded away.

"What…did I…?" she asked, shuddering slightly.

Yuna placed a towel around her shoulders gently.

"You _drowned!_" Rikku suddenly wailed, losing her controlled composure and throwing her arms around Lulu. "It was so so so scary! You stopped breathing and everything, we were all really really scared. Heaps of people came over to see what was happening – and you had to have mouth to mouth and CPR and all that stuff, and it was so so so scary!"

"I stopped breathing?" Lulu repeated incredulously, hardly believing it.

"I thought you said you could swim!" Rikku wailed even louder. "And it's all my fault for taking you here!"

Lulu shivered, as her memories of the event slowly returned to her.

"That's right." She said quietly, almost to herself. "I was swimming, but I got a cramp or something – and…well, I…"

She didn't really want to finish that sentence, and instead she hunched over her knees, pulling them closer towards her. Then, she remembered what Rikku had said before about mouth to mouth and CPR.

"Who saved me?" she asked even more quietly, as though she really didn't want to hear the answer.

"Well-" Rikku began, but Wakka suddenly cut her off – perhaps he thought she would ramble on unintelligibly for too long.

"Well," he began, with a frown at Rikku. "We're not sure, but it seems that a lifeguard dived in after he saw you drowning – and he revived you up here – that's when we got here."

Lulu sat up a little straighter, and Rikku and Tidus too gave Wakka bewildered looks.

"What lifeguard?" she asked uncertainly looking around her. Wakka too, looked from side to side.

"That one over there." He eventually said, pointing to a handsome blonde man, who was supervising the waterslide who looked over, and winked at them.

"But…uh," Wakka continued. "He had to rush off to save a kid who got stuck in the slide straight afterwards."

"I see." Lulu and Rikku replied in unison. Lulu shot Rikku a querying look.

"I…uh, was wondering where he dashed off so quickly to!" She explained with a laugh.

"I suppose I should thank him…" Lulu said, slowly beginning to stand up.

"No!" Rikku suddenly interrupted, hugging her around the waist and pulling her down to the ground again. "Uh, you need to rest – and Tidus'll get you a nice hot drink ("Ah, right!" Tidus agreed, before speeding off towards the canteen), and then we should get back to the hotel, maybe? It's already 5:30 y'know! It closes at 6:00 anyway!"

Lulu frowned, and extracted herself from Rikku's embrace.

"I still think I should at least say 'thank-you'" she replied, once again slowly heaving herself up from the ground.

"Nah, don't sweat it." Tidus had returned from the canteen, and he handed her a polystyrene cup of coffee. "It's just part of his job, he'll be right."

Lulu wasn't entirely convinced, but she drunk the coffee quickly and soon began to feel much more like herself. She stood up and tossed her hair over her shoulders impatiently.

"Man, Lulu!" Tidus said, shaking his head knowingly. "If you didn't want to go to the pool because you couldn't swim, you should have just said so sooner!"

Lulu glared at him.

"I/She _can_ swim." Both she and Wakka replied angrily in unison. "I/She used to swim all the time in Besaid."

They turned to look at each other in surprise, while Tidus and Yuna laughed.

"If you say so." Tidus chuckled.

Lulu sighed, and using a towel from Rikku's backpack she dried her hair and body.

"I suppose we should sort of head back now." Rikku asked uncertainly, and Yuna nodded.

Rather than heading back to the changing rooms, the girls merely towelled themselves off and pulled their normal clothes over their damp bathers. Even though it was nearly evening, the Luca sun would still be hot enough to dry their clothes as they walked.

When everyone had finished changing, they left the pool in silence.

Lulu walked beside Rikku as they headed back to the hotel – and for the second time that day, the young al Bhed had little to say.

The evening's air was warm, but there was a brisk breeze that swept around them gently as they walked.

There was something the niggled at the back of Lulu's mind as she walked and although she tried to disregard it – it refused to leave her alone.

Eventually, she resolved to let it be. Whatever it was, if it was important – it would become clear within good time.

* * *

END OF CHAPTER 11

Oh my lordy lordy lord.

This chapter is bloody almost 6000 words loooong!  
I'M MAD! MWAHAHA! If you read my notes on chapter 4-5 – I was like, yup 3000 words, what a long chapter…this is almost double that! Oh dear.

Oh well, it can be a special treat.

totters slowly over to her bed and dies….

I write this story far too late at night.

Actually, I want to know if you'd rather I update more frequently (every 2 weeks or so) with chapters of 2500-3000 words, or if you'd rather I do this – every month with 4000-5000 word chapters. Which is better for you readers?

Hohoho, bit of action this chapter. Poor Lulu, everything seems to happen to her – I'm such a cruel writer… But she's alright! Hohoho….

Well, I'm updating more often now – once a month? Better than not at all I guess!  
I read some of the older chapters before…oh dear, it was very funny! Caus I started this story years ago, you can really see how crappy my writing style was before…although, it gets better around chapter 4 I think….(chapters 1-3 are goddam awful!) I would rewrite them- but you'd rather read what happens next, rather than what you already know, right? Let it be, let it beeee!

Good songs to read this chapter with are –

Orange range – O-MO-I (wonderful happy funky song!)

Spitz – Sakana (from the anime Honey and Clover)

Well, thanks for reading, I love reviews – drop me one if you feel like it! All feedback is acceptable – I've never got a flame yet though (fingers crossed)

Look forward to the next chapter – in which someone will get a hangover…heheheh

Lulu-san o


	12. Hanging out with a hangover

* * *

Black Dreams, White Dreams

By Lulu-san

Chapter 12 – Hanging out with a hangover

* * *

Upon arriving back at the hotel, Rikku had immediately dashed into the shower first, causing the group to exchange exasperated looks.

Lulu frowned and dropped into a chair, pushing her dark hair out of her eyes.

"Well, it's not like I really want a shower anyway," Tidus began, flopping down onto his couch. "Wakka and I have already showered after Blitz practice. You girls can go in ahead of us."

Lulu nodded, barely moving her head. She was already so worn out – and it had only been a day or two since they'd left Besaid. All she wanted was sleep – to be honest, she couldn't even be bothered with a shower. She sighed again, and brushed some more hair out of her eyes. The chlorine had turned it slightly dryer than normal, and she knew that she would have to at least rinse it out before tomorrow – or else it would become unmanageable. She sighed again, more deeply than before. It was all such…a hassle.

Rikku suddenly emerged from the bathroom, sparkling clean and filled with fresh energy; steam and scented air drifted in from the door behind her.

"U-mmph!" she stretched her arms over her head and grinned at them. "I feel so much more alive now!"

"Glad to hear it." Tidus replied in a manner than suggested otherwise.

"Aw, c'mon! Get your energy up!" Rikku replied cheerfully. "Or you'll be no fun tonight!"

"Tonight?" Wakka interrupted before he could help himself. "What's going on tonight? Are we going somewhere?"

Rikku and Tidus gave him bored expressions.

"Oh…yeah, you were…" Tidus bit his lip in an effort to stop himself from saying the words 'stalking Lulu'. "Somewhere…else…..when we discussed it."

"So, what's going on again, ya?" Wakka asked with a frown. "Remember, we've got the big tournament tomorrow and…"

"We know, we know…" Rikku sighed.

"Well, if you know, then what are you playing at?" Wakka complained, beginning to lose his temper.

"Relax, big boy!" Rikku patted him on the arm. "We're just going out for a few drinks, that's all – go to a few bars to celebrate the beginning of the tournament, you know!"

Wakka looked sceptical.

"Are you even of legal drinking age?" he questioned, pointing at her accusingly.

"Of course!" she retorted.

"Just…" Tidus snorted underneath his breath.

"Anyway, moving right along" Rikku continued with a pointed frown at Tidus. "It'll just be a bit of fun – we'll come home in time for you guys to get a decent sleep, okay?"

"Well…alright then." Wakka finally agreed.

Rikku beamed at him, before perching on the edge of the chair Lulu was resting in.

"Soo…Lululu…" she taunted, leaning across the older woman. "Do you want to borrow some more of my clothes tonight? You might pick up or something, you never know!"

"I'm not going."

Rikku blankly stared at Lulu, before grinning carelessly.

"What d'ya mean, Lulu!" she said enthusiastically. "Don't be such a spoil-sport!"

"I said, I don't think I'll be going." Lulu repeated, staring Rikku straight in the eye.

Lulu was fed up. She was tired, her head was throbbing and she was still feeling twinges of painful humiliation each time she remembered her ungraceful drowning experience.

"But…" Rikku began, her brow furrowing in the way it always did before she began to whine.

"No, Rikku." Lulu stated firmly. "Today, I've been more than complacent – shopping, going to the pool, being dragged all over town. I've had enough. Go ahead and have fun together, but this time – I'm afraid I'm not joining in. And that's final."

Rikku paused, and looked like she was about to argue the matter – but seemed to think better of it. It appeared that Rikku had finally realised that she had reached the limit – and that there was no point in pushing harder.

"Okay then!" she nodded. "We won't be too long anyway – so you won't get lonely."

"Just don't party too hard and make yourself sick." Lulu warned her. "I'm warning you now, I won't show much sympathy."

"Oh, don't worry, I'll keep an eye on them!" Rikku laughed, whacking Wakka on the shoulder.

"I was referring to you…" Lulu muttered, but Rikku was too preoccupied to notice.

"Well, lets say…departure in 20 minutes?" she asked after a quick glance at her watch.

"Yeah, hang on – I'll just get in the shower…" Yuna replied, grabbing a towel from Tidus's bag, which lay wide open next to his 'couch bed' and dashing into the bathroom. The door slammed shut, and the sound of rushing water could be heard shortly afterwards.

Lulu stretched her arms over her head and let out an almost inaudible sigh. She was so tired now – so fed up with gallivanting, and was extremely relieved that Rikku wasn't kicking up more of a fuss about leaving her behind. She had been all set to fight it out, yet Rikku seemed content enough just to give it up this one time. Wakka, however, seemed to be less than happy. She looked over her shoulder at him, wondering why he seemed to be frowning so fiercely at the floor.

However, before she could press him on the matter, Tidus had clapped a hand on Wakka's shoulder, and the two men had headed into the bedroom in order to change into clean, nice 'going-out' clothes.

:>>>>>>>>>>X :

"Well then! We'll be careful! Don't wait up, Lulu!"

Rikku began pulling on a jacket as she spoke, while Wakka, Yuna and Tidus stood waiting patiently in the passageway behind her.

It had been a whole hour and a half since Rikku had announced that they were leaving in '20 minutes' and Lulu was extremely close to breaking point. They had already 'left' three times, only to return five minutes later, having forgotten something or other.

"Alright." She answered through clenched teeth. "Have a nice time."

"Oh, I nearly forgot" Rikku suddenly exclaimed, digging around in her jacket pocket.

"What!" Lulu fought to keep herself from screaming in frustration.

"Keys!" Rikku announced, brandishing a set of gold keys out in front of Lulu's nose. "You need the keys! We've got one set, but you'll need these."

Lulu sighed, and accepted the proffered keys.

"Okay. Now you had better get going…" she said firmly, and began to shut the door as Rikku scampered out of the way.

"See ya!" Rikku called over her shoulder as they left. Lulu listened for a while, and when it seemed certain that they weren't coming back to retrieve any other forgotten items, she let out a huge sigh of relief, before flopping backwards onto the couch. All the stress and fatigue of the last few days felt as though it had congealed inside her head, leaving it heavy and throbbing.

"I need to sleep." She suddenly said aloud.

The words resonated in the empty room, and she squeezed her eyes shut, as though to block out the sudden confession.

"I really…really need to sleep…" she whispered again, feeling exhausted, hot tears pressing tightly against her eyelids. However, rather than let herself have a small moment of weakness; rather than let herself have a small cry, Lulu forced herself to sit up again and opened her eyes slowly.

"I'll have a bath." She decided, running her fingers through the dry curls of her hair. "That'll help. It'll help."

She rose up off the couch, and made her way into the bathroom. As the others had only had time for showers, the bath remained clean and ready for use. Lulu began to run the water, and before too long, an inviting bubble-bath was finished and waiting for her. She undressed quickly, and dumped her clothes unceremoniously inside the nearby washing machine. However, just before she was about to sink into the hot, soothing water, she touched a hand to her hair and realised with a jolt that she had forgotten something.

"Damn! Shampoo!"

There was none in the shower, or in the bathroom cupboard. She growled in her throat. Didn't hotels provide free samples anymore? But then again, she realised with a grim smile, Rikku or Yuna would have probably used it by now anyway.

Still, Lulu thought, grabbing a towel and wrapping it around her body, she had remembered to bring a small bottle with her – it should still be in her bag. At least, it was there last time she checked.

Pulling the towel a little tighter, (didn't hotels believe in making decent sized towels anymore?) she opened the door to the living room, and walked towards the shared bedroom. She would pick up some clothes from there too – she had stupidly put the new ones in the wash already.

However, she had only walked about halfway across the room, when the front door suddenly opened with a click.

Lulu froze.

So did Wakka.

He stood in the front door frame, with one hand on the door handle, looking like he had been hit with a petrification curse. Their eyes met, and neither of them moved. It was as though they had both just been caught in a sudden time freeze. Lulu's hands clutched the towel she wore tightly.

"Forgot…" Wakka's voice cracked and he cleared his throat before starting again. "Forgot my…wallet."

"Oh." Lulu's feet felt rooted to the spot, and all she could think to do was continue to act normally. Which was, of course, ridiculous in regard to the current bizarre situation. "I see. I think…I think it's on the table."

"Right…Thanks…"

They stared at each other for a second longer, before reality suddenly hit Lulu with the force of a ten ton brick, and coming to her senses she bolted into the bedroom and slammed the door behind her.

:>>>>>>>>>>X :

"Uh…that…ya…"

Wakka shook his head in confusion, and placed a hand over his heart – as though to calm it. His eyes travelled over to the bedroom door that Lulu had just disappeared behind, and felt his heart pumping faster.

"That…was unexpected..." he eventually murmured to himself, with a disbelieving laugh. To be honest, it had been a shock; and a nasty shock at that; yet he couldn't help but feel that the entire scene had been rather comical.

" 'Forgot my wallet…' eh?" he chuckled to himself softly. "What a dork, ya. What a dork."

He felt his ears burning, and hoped fiercely that Lulu wasn't going to resent him too much. But on the other hand, she had looked just as ludicrous as he had – what the hell had she been doing in the middle of the room in only a towel anyway?

However, before Wakka could ponder that particular question any longer, the bedroom door opened and Lulu emerged – now fully clothed in her usual belts'n'fur dress. She closed the door softly behind her, and Wakka noticed with amusement that she was looking a little bit flushed – possibly flustered?

Perhaps it was wrong of him, but Wakka loved it when Lulu acted 'differently' to her usual composed self. Of course, he loved her no matter what, but when she became embarrassed, or confused, he felt somewhat privileged that she didn't mind him seeing those sides of her personality. Plus, he felt less like a fool around her in such moments.

"Uh, hey." He gave her a nervous smile. "Um…about that, you know…I didn't…"

She stared at him, and his smile melted away.

"I'm sorry. It was my fault." He said quickly, hoping she wouldn't use any painful magic spells on him in revenge.

"No." she sighed and shook her head. "It was my fault. I was…distracted. I wasn't really thinking."

Wakka chuckled in relief; glad that she wasn't angry.

"Nah, let's just forget about it, and say that it's lucky that is WAS me, and not somebody else, ya?"

Lulu raised an eyebrow.

"Well, if it hadn't been you – or Yuna, or Rikku perhaps, I definitely would have had set them alight…or electrocuted them…" She paused. "Or maybe I would have just punched them.

Wakka creased his brow in concentration.

"Wait…If it wasn't me…or…wasn't…" his voice faded out and he gave her a sceptic look. "So basically, if it had been Tidus, you would have set him alight, eh. Once you take away Yuna, Rikku and me – he's all that's left, ya?"

Lulu smiled wryly.

"I suppose." She agreed. "But you forgot to include the hotel staff into your equation. If it hadn't been you, there's a possibility that it could have been one of them."

Wakka pulled a face.

"Erg." He groaned. "Roasted room service. No thanks, ya. I don't fancy cleaning up the mess, once you're through with your revenge."

He cringed at the forced humour in his voice, and turned away from her.

"Well…I'll be off, ya?"

He walked towards the door, but just as he was about to leave, he was suddenly overcome with an extremely frustrating feeling.

"Lulu!" he burst out, turning to face her with a frown.

"Wh-what?"

She looked a little taken aback. Wakka took a deep breath, and fought to keep his voice level.

"Make sure you lock the door, ya? And be careful! Check who it is before opening it. And don't leave the windows open! We won't be too long, so just make sure that you stay safe, and-"

Lulu interrupted his sudden outburst with a scathing look.

"I'm not a child, and you're not my overly-concerned mother, so lay off the instructions, Wakka." She snapped. "I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself, or have you temporarily forgotten?"

"Yeah, but you-"

Wakka bit his lip quickly. He had been about to blurt out that he was concerned about her troubling nightmares – and that she might need his help during the night. But upon remembering her violent reaction to his suggestions that morning, he decided it was best not to bring up that particular subject. He grimaced, and turned away from her.

"I…just…you know…"

She stared fiercely at him.

"Bye." He said shortly, and turning his back on her scowling face, he left the room and closed the door firmly behind him. He strode a few paces up the passage before having to stop and calm himself.

"Dammit." He cursed, slamming his fist into the wall. He felt confused, frustrated and irritated – all at once. And for Wakka, who liked emotions to be straightforward and simple; it was extremely overwhelming.

He loved Lulu. He knew Lulu. He had known her longer than anybody else had. He couldn't stand the thought of her…involved with anybody else. Hot anger surged through him as he thought of the boys at the pool, or Redden, the smug Luca Goers captain – both of which had expressed interest in his long time friend He knew Lulu was free to choose whoever she wanted, but wasn't sure he could suppress his frustration any longer. When he considered the thought of one of the male hotel staff having burst in on a semi naked Lulu, as he had just done, he felt sick with bitter feelings. He wanted to be the only one who could see her in such a vulnerable state. He wanted to be the only one.

Wakka cursed again.

"This is NOT good, ya." He muttered to himself. This was unjustified possessiveness on his part, and while he despised it; he couldn't control it. And the more he tried not to think about it, the more he found his mind casting itself back to the moment he had opened the door. Semi exposed, Lulu had frozen to stare at him; dark eyes widening in shock, her lips slightly parted. Her long, dark hair had been loose around her – slightly messy and tousled from the pool.

Wakka squeezed his eyes shut and tried to refocus his mind. It was torture, he eventually decided with a grim smile. His own personal Sin, eh? Ever since they had started this ridiculous holiday, he and Lulu had been thrown together in all sorts of hi-jinks. Tidus was right, he thought to himself. If this holiday was going to continue in such a manner, he wasn't sure that he was going to be able to hold back anymore. What if he couldn't control himself?

Wakka jabbed the lift button with excessive force, and as it opened to admit him, he resolved with a scowl, to have a very large, very stiff drink at the bar tonight and do his best simply to forget such troublesome thoughts.

:>>>>>>>>>>X :

Back in the hotel room, Lulu had finished her bath and having changed into her bedclothes, was sitting on the couch, drying her hair with the hotel hairdryer. The long dark curls fanned out around her, and she was almost feeling relaxed. The bath had helped – her head was not nearly so painful, and even her shoulders felt less stiff.

However, thinking back to the recent embarrassing encounter with Wakka caused her to cringe. It wasn't just the humiliating experience of being caught exposed; it was the forced nature of their conversation (or was it an argument?) afterwards. How dare he suggest that she was incapable of looking after herself! And even more importantly, how come she had been suddenly rendered incapable of movement when he had walked in on her in the first place?

She gritted her teeth, and turned off the hairdryer with a long sigh.

It didn't really matter, she tried to tell herself. Wakka was tetchy because of the tournament tomorrow. She was tetchy because she hadn't slept or eaten or even taken care of herself as of late. Their behaviour wasn't really strange; it was just a reaction their current stressful circumstances.

Lulu stood up off the couch and stretched her arms. It was still early, but she decided to go to bed early and try to sleep.

After making sure the front door really was locked (she wasn't taking any more risks), she entered the bedroom and curled up in the bed she was currently sharing with Wakka.

However, just as she was closing her eyes, a small flickering of light caught her attention. She heaved herself up and squinted into the darkness. The moonlight from the open window had caught it's reflection on a shiny object lying on Lulu's bedside table. On closer inspection she realised that it was the silver shell pendant that Wakka had given her that very morning.

Lulu extended her hand and gently lifted the pendant off the table. She cupped it with one hand, while gently stroking its smooth surface with the other. And suddenly, without really knowing why, she slipped the necklace and the pendant around her neck and fastened it. She simply liked the gentle weight of the cool silver against her chest, and found it soothing. When she lay down again in the bed, she instinctively clasped the shell in one hand; holding it tightly as she curled up underneath the blankets. Her eyes were slowly closing and she was feeling drowsier each second.

"It's a protection…" she murmured sleepily to herself. "He's…looking after…me…even now…"

She vaguely wondered what she was saying as she wavered between being asleep and awake, but her thoughts faded completely away, she was sure she heard herself mumbling those words over and over again.

:>>>>>>>>>>X :

"That's some drink!"

Tidus leaned over towards Wakka and sniffed the heavy concoction that the scowling Besadian was holding.

"You sure you can handle that?" he asked as Wakka took a huge gulp of the strong liqueur.

"Aw, shuddup." Wakka wiped his mouth and shuddered. "I need this drink."

"Yeah…but the game tomorrow?" Tidus reminded him pointedly. "You don't want to get a hangover and…"

Tidus's voice tapered away as he watched Wakka downing the entire remains of the drink in one go.

"Well…just don't overdo it!" he said in resignation.

Wakka slammed the empty glass down on the bar, and ordered another. Tidus sighed. Rikku had taken them to a popular bar in Luka, but far from having light-hearted fun, Wakka seemed to be taking the opportunity to drown his sorrows…whatever they might be. But then again, Tidus thought to himself, he had a shrewd idea of what might be causing this sudden change in Wakka.

"Hey Wakka…" Tidus asked casually. "Something happen with Lulu when you went to get your wallet?"

Wakka snorted into his drink and began coughing.

"Nah…nothing' He choked, barley noticing that he'd knocked his drink to the floor, where it had splashed all over his shoes. "Why…why'd you think so?"

Tidus bent over to pick up Wakka's now empty glass from the floor.

"Oh, no reason." He said evasively. "Just wondering…"

"Yeah well." Wakka muttered. "One might think that after all these years…but it's not like I care anyway…well I do care…that's not the point…totally unacceptable don't you think? I mean…It wasn't my fault…never listens to me…"

Tidus watched with a bemused expression as Wakka grumpily tried to drink from his glass and continued to mutter to himself– barely noticing that the glass was in fact empty and he wasn't actually drinking anything. Something must have stirred him up bad, to have caused such a mood. Usually Tidus could make out what was behind most of Wakka's mutterings, but he had no clue as to what had happened this time.

"Ah well." Tidus clapped a hand of Wakka's back. "Let's just have some fun tonight, yeah? Want some of my drink?"

Wakka looked at the proffered drink, before sighing and hanging his head.

"No thanks, brudduh." He said sadly, and hiccoughed. "I'm done drinking tonight. You're right, gotta focus on the game now."

He stood up and stretched, before heading off to join Yuna and Rikku, who were drinking further down the bar.

Tidus watched him go, wondering what on earth could have brought on this sudden burst of erratic behaviour in his old friend.

:>>>>>>>>>>X :

Lulu was dreaming. Small pink rabbits in bathers danced around her, before Rikku suddenly appeared, saying that the bathers suited the rabbits far better than they suited her. Lulu had been about to object – surely she had better style than the rabbits, but before she could, Wakka had mysteriously taken Rikku place and was now explaining very quickly that he had cooked up some hotel staff for dinner, and did she want to have barbeque sauce with them?

Lulu blinked in confusion, and when her eyes opened again, she realised she was on the Besaid beach – and the nightmare that had plagued her for months was beginning again. She watched it happen, hating every moment. Why did she have to see Chappu die? Why was he so angry? And what the hell was Wakka trying to do by kissing her, anyway? But, above all, why, when she was left completely alone at the end of dream, did it feel as though her heart had been ripped out – a experience so disturbing that it made her nauseous when she woke up?

Lulu tossed and twisted in the blankets, before waking with a start. She lay still for a few seconds, holding her breath. And then, just as she had expected it, a wave of nausea swept through her. She breathed heavily through her gritted teeth, and swallowed often – pleading with herself to keep the nausea under control.

"I'm fine, I'm not sick, I don't feel sick." She muttered through gasping breaths. 'I'm not going to be sick, I'm fine…I'm fine…"

She felt like crying.

"I'm fine…I'm not going to be sick."

Her hand found the shell pendant around her neck, and she squeezed it tightly.

"I'm…fine…"

Lulu couldn't be sure of how long she lay there, curled into a tight ball with the pendant clenched tightly in her hand, but when her breathing slowly returned to normal, and she felt a little less sick, there were deep imprints in her hand from squeezing the silver shell so hard.

Feeling a little dizzy, Lulu moved herself into a sitting position on the bed. She still felt unwell, but could hardly believe it. For the first time in months, she had managed to calm herself from the nightmare without actually throwing up. She swallowed nervously, but when it seemed certain that she really wasn't going to vomit, she let out a deep breath of relief. Perhaps she wasn't that ill after all.

She lay back of the bed; resting her arms gently over her stomach. The clock on her bedside table read '2:34 AM". The others weren't back yet, she realised. Well, it would be on their own heads if they couldn't get up in the morning.

Lulu fell into a gentle doze, and was only dimly aware of the others returning back from their night out a little while later. She heard the front door click open, and the sound of muffled voices.

"Urrgh, don't need sche-schleep yet…Still wanna _pah-pah-party_!" she heard Rikku slur unintelligibly as she fell through the bedroom door. "The night is shtill…_lhaaard…"_

"Shh, Rikku!" she barely registered hearing Yuna whisper. "You might wake her!"

Lulu subconsciously rolled over. She was only half-awake, and didn't even stir when Rikku crashed into the bed she shared with Yuna. Eventually Rikku found her way into the bed and flopped down face first; snoring loudly.

"Oh, Rikku…" she heard Yuna sigh, and then a sound of rustling sheets that sounded like Yuna arranging Rikku into a more comfortable position.

"You okay, Yuna?" came a whisper from the nearby darkness. Lulu stirred a little in response to the voice, but carried on sleeping.

"We're fine, Wakka." Came Yuna's hushed voice. "You better get some sleep now. Goodnight"

She felt the mattress sag as Wakka slipped into the bed beside her, bringing with him a tangy scent of smoke and sweat. She was too far into her doze to be able to open her eyes, but she could tell from the movement of the sheets that he was now lying directly next to her.

The room was silent again; Rikku and Yuna must have already dropped off. Lulu exhaled deeply, and felt her entire body relax into a deep sleep. She felt safer knowing that they were all back again. And, somehow she also felt more comfortable and at ease with the warm weight of Wakka's body lying inches away from her own. Reassured, she snuggled deeper into the blankets and curled up once again.

However, just before Lulu completely lost consciousness, she was just aware of a sudden soft warmth on her lips; a brushing sensation of skin against skin that left the slightest lingering taste of sweet liqueur. Whether she was dreaming or not, Lulu could not know, for the warmth faded away as suddenly as it had appeared, and before Lulu's exhausted mind had processed it, she was already fast asleep.

:>>>>>>>>>>X :

"URRRGHH…_NOOOOO!"_

Lulu groggily opened her eyes; dimly wondering what could be causing such a noisy racket. Early morning sunlight streamed into the room from the open window, and she squinted her eyes against the glare.

"I'm DYIIIIIIIIIING! _I'm DYIIIIIIIIING!"_

Lulu slowly heaved herself into a sitting position, and immediately noticed that there was nobody in the bed beside her. Wakka had obviously already gotten up – but the flattened part of the mattress where he had been lying was still warm. He must have only just left.

"THE LIGHT…THE LIIIGHT! URRRGH! NO! IT'S _SPLITTING_ MY HEAD! OOOHH! SOMEBODY HELP ME!"

Lulu looked over towards the source of the noise to see Rikku lying in bed with her hands plastered over her face groaning and moaning like never before.

"BLEEAH…I'm gonna be sick…I'm gonna be sick…Oooh, it feels like somebody is scraping rusty nails inside my _BRAIN_! Arrrgh…"

Next to Rikku, Yuna had sat up and was rubbing her eyes sleepily.

"What's wrong…" she mumbled wearily. "What's going on?"

"I'm _DYING_!" Rikku wailed immediately.

Lulu swung her legs out of bed, and walked over to Rikku.

"What's the matter?" She smirked, sitting down next to her. "Headache?"

"Oh, shut up, Lulu!" Rikku moaned, rolling over and pulling a pillow over her head.

"Pardon?" Lulu asked with mock innocence.

"You know very well that I'm DYING from a-"

"Hangover?" Lulu finished helpfully.

"Yet to be identified illness." Came the muffled reply. "Which may or may not have something to do with alcohol. Urrrgh. I'm NEVER drinking again."

Lulu sighed and shrugged.

"Well, I did say I wouldn't show much sympathy." She reminded Rikku.

"Oooooh…eeerrghh…aaargh…"

Rikku had started wailing and moaning again, and Yuna and Lulu exchanged significant looks.

"How much did she drink?" Lulu mouthed.

Yuna shrugged in reply, and held up a few fingers. Then her brow creased in concentration and she raised a few more fingers. Finally, she held up both hands with all fingers raised and shrugged again.

"I'll make you some tea, Rikku…" Lulu said comfortingly; she was beginning to feel a little sorry for her reckless friend. "You'll feel better soon – I'm sure it's not too bad."

Rikku merely groaned in reply.

"I'll be back soon." Lulu said softly to Yuna, who nodded and begun rubbing Rikku's shoulders.

In the kitchen, Lulu found Tidus and Wakka, both who were drinking extremely strong coffee and looking very nervous.

"Sounds awful." Tidus said, gesturing with his head to the bedroom where Rikku's moans could still be heard.

"She'll live." Lulu replied. "Probably."

Tidus chuckled, but Wakka simply turned away from her and began washing his cup. She wondered if he was still angry about their spat last night. It was more likely, though, that he was just anxious about the tournament which would begin later than day.

"Well," Tidus said, gulping down the rest of his coffee. "Wakka and I had better be off. We've got to get there early to get everything ready. Final practices and all, you know."

Lulu nodded.

"We'll meet up with you at the stadium in an hour or so, alright?" she said to Wakka, who merely grunted and began walking to the door. Lulu shot Tidus a querying look, but he pulled a face and mouthed the word "Nerves?"

"See you soon…and don't be too nervous." She tried for what was an encouraging tone of voice. "If you stay calm, I'm sure you'll be fine."

"Thanks!" Tidus called as he walked out the door, but Wakka had already left without saying a word.

Lulu slowly shook her head, and began searching the kitchen for something to sooth Rikku's hangover. She would make Yuna a nice cup of tea as well. After all, she'd probably need it once she was through calming Rikku down. Rikku was the only person she knew who could make a hangover contagious.

**END OF CHAPTER 12 - **To be continued...

* * *

An UPDATE? Do you believe it? Yes, here it is – the long awaited chapter 12!  
I'm so sorry, I really didn't mean to take this long. It was just one of those things that I just kept forgetting about! What with exams and all, I just didn't have time. I'm such a bad girl TT

BUT! Here it is, overdue I know, but I just want to say that as long as there is even just one person reading this, I will persist and finish the damn thing! (even though I feel like I'm hardly getting anywhere plot-wise! I have a plan, but I get sidetracked and write extended scenes that were never meant to be included cough cough)

But I am VERY proud, that this is one of the first chapters that I have written before midnight! I always write this story in the late hours of the night, I think that at least 90 of it was written past 1 am...BUT! this chapter was written during the afternoon! OO how strange! I wonder if there is any change in the quality!

Anyway, hmm…my thoughts on this chapter! Betcha all thought Wakka would be getting the hangover…hehe, nope…always going to be Rikku, poor thing. I had a little trouble deciding on a chapter title this time too… I don't think it's very catchy.

ANYWAY! I will sign off here, with an unstable promise, that I will do my best to make regular updates. I know, I know, I promise this every single time I update. But I am very determined to finish this story now, it's long been in the back of my mind. There are enough unfinished fics out there – I don't want to add another one to the pile.

SO! Bear with me, and I would love to hear your thoughts on how things are turning out! Like I said, I have a plot planned out – but I'd love to hear what you think is going to happen next, so drop me a review – all feedback is much appreciated!

Oh thank you all for the lovely reviews and everything – I'm so sorry to keep you all waiting!

Until next time, many apologies and many thanks for sticking with this story –

Lulu-san


	13. Changing room blues

* * *

**Black Dreams, White Dreams**

By Lulu-san

_Chapter 13 – Changing room blues_

* * *

Inside their changing room at the Luca stadium, the Besaid Aurochs were changing nervously into their blitzball gear. Their captain had left about half an hour ago to find out the match line ups for the tournament, and he had not yet returned.

"I wonder what's keepin' him, ya?" Datto said aloud as he completed a series of warm up stretches.

"Dunno…" Tidus replied. "But don't worry, man. No matter who we play, I'm sure we can kick their butts any day of the week."

The Aurochs chuckled appreciatively and the pre-match tension lessened a little bit.

"Remember how our first match was with the Kilika Beasts last year?" Jassu grinned.

"Yeah!" Tidus laughed. "Final score was 6-0…and two of their players retired due to over-exertion."

"But…then again" Letty interrupted with a frown. "Those two players were the ones that were taggin' you and Capt'n Wakka…"

"Yeah, without you guys, I bet we couldn't even win a single match on our own." Datto complained loudly, but he was smiling.

Tidus laughed, but he secretly agreed. Without him or Wakka…well, the Aurochs wouldn't be much of a team. It was as though he and Wakka were the leaders – the main actors, while the rest of the Aurochs were the supporting cast that kept things moving along. Of course, the leads couldn't sustain a show without the supporting cast – and the supporting cast would be at a loss without the leads. And, Tidus thought, it was just lucky that the Aurochs made a great supporting team; never letting them down in a match.

"Capt'n Wakka!"

The Aurochs turned immediately to their captain, who had just walked through the change room door.

"Alright boys." Wakka began. "It's not too bad this year- not too bad at all. First, we're up against the Guado Glories. If we beat them – then we're in the finals, ya."

"Not bad!" Tidus exclaimed. "That's fantastic – we've got an easy walk straight to the goal! The Guado Glories are a real pushover."

Wakka frowned at him.

"Don't you go underestimating the opponent, ya!" he snapped. "I hear they've put together a really strong team this year – and they've invested in a hoard of new blitz gear! Get sloppy, get pushed out of the tournament!"

"Alright, already!" Tidus retreated with his palms face up. "Just trying to ease the nerves!"

"What nerves!" Wakka practically snarled. Then, realising the contradictory nature of his statement to how he delivered it, he chuckled.

"Okaay…so, maybe I'm a li-ttle bit nervous, ya?" he grinned sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head. "But, I just want to make sure we go into this game with full force and determination."

"Capt'n!" The Aurochs saluted.

"Okay, boys!" Wakka clapped his hands together. "We're gonna do some warm ups, ya? Game starts in little under an hour! Best not be forgetting the basics! To start, 50 sit ups and 50 push ups! Get to it!"

"Sir!" The Aurochs saluted once more, before beginning the exercises with renewed enthusiasm.

_**oooXooo**_

The streets of Luca were absolutely packed. People from all over Spira had turned out to see the tournament, and the sense of anticipation was overwhelming. Lulu hurried through the crowds – who, just like her, were pushing and shoving in order to reach the blitzball stadium.

It was another stiflingly hot day and Lulu was almost regretting her choice of outfit – her usual pilgrimage dress. She had only worn her new clothes once –but she was already missing their comfortable lightness. She growled in her throat. What was she thinking? Couldn't she stand a little heat anymore? This was the dress that had served her dutifully on the pilgrimage after all! She sighed, and wished that Yuna and Rikku had come along with her – if not just to take her mind off the stifling heat and pushy crowd. She had left them in the hotel room; Rikku was still not feeling well enough to get out of bed yet.

"Can't you do a cure spell or something to remove the symptoms?" She had asked Yuna, but the young girl shook her head.

"I would do it straight away if it would do anything to help…but that's the point, really!" Yuna had sighed. "There just really isn't such a thing as a cure to a hangover!"

Thus, Lulu had promised to go on ahead to the tournament, leaving Rikku in Yuna's care. Yuna had assured Lulu that Rikku would feel much better after a shower and some food – and that they would catch up with her later at the stadium, hopefully before the first match had started. Lulu had nodded, and agreed to let the boys know in advance.

"Don't worry," Yuna had smiled. "We'll definitely be there! I'm sure Rikku would rather watch the match with a headache, then not at all!"

Lulu had smiled wryly at the time, but as she fought her way through the busy, sticky crowd, she felt enviously that she wouldn't mind switching places with Rikku at that very moment – no matter how bad her hangover was.

**_oooXooo_**

****

"Right! Match begins in 20 minutes, so I think it's about time we had a warm up swim in the sphere, ya?"

Wakka stood in front of his players, and gave them a reassuring smile.

"I know we've got the skills, and I know we've got the talent!" he said confidently. "So all we gotta do…is…"

Wakka gulped as a surge of anxiety hit him and took a deep breath.

"All we gotta do is get out there and win!" Tidus finished loudly. "Right, Wakka?"

"Y-Yeah!" Wakka straightened up and gave the team a determined look. "Get out there and win!"

"Capt'n!" the Aurochs shouted, before heading out into the sphere to warm up.

Tidus had been about to follow them when he noticed that Wakka was still hanging around nervously by the changing room bench.

"What's up, man?" he asked. "Surely you're not _that_ nervous?"

"Huh! No- wha?" Wakka started and looked anxiously at Tidus. "Uh, yeah… no…not really that…"

He sat down on one of the benches and nodded his head in the direction of the clock on the changing room wall.

"Just thinkin'…that, well, the girls are pretty late, ya?" he finally stuttered.

"Yeah…maybe." Tidus cocked an eyebrow. "They're probably just fighting their way through the monstrous crowd out there. You saw how big it was, I'd bet anything that it's slowing them down."

Wakka merely coughed in response and turned his head away.

"Ya…s'probably it…" he muttered. "I mean- they're definitely coming, ya? It's not like…y'know…"

His voiced tapered out and he continued to stare grumpily at the clock.

"Aw, man…Wakka, no!" Tidus groaned suddenly. "Please, please don't tell me this is still all about Lulu…"

"So? I mean, what?" Wakka blurted out. "I mean, no! No!"

He looked guiltily up at Tidus.

"Well…maybe." He eventually mumbled. "A little."

"You're going to wreck yourself over this, Wakka!" Tidus sighed, sitting down beside him. "And, you're going to screw the game up too, if you continue to act like you are now."

When Wakka did nothing but look sadly down at his feet, Tidus sighed and continued.

"I mean, it wasn't always like this, was it? Why's it getting you down so much at the moment!"

"Wha-What!" Wakka suddenly shouted in disbelief. "What do you mean WHY! It's all YOUR fault, ya!"

"MY fault?" Tidus repeated incredulously.

"Yah…" Wakka scowled at the floor. "You made me more…aware of it, you know? Like before, I was just content around her like a friend. But now, I'm always thinking of how I have to hold back – and then I think that I don't want to hold back anymore, ya? So then I get confused, caus' I don't want to force it, but I don't want…well…you, know…to be just 'friends'…ya?"

"And that's MY fault?" Tidus asked again, with one eyebrow raised.

"Well, I hadn't really thought about it before." Wakka frowned. "And, it doesn't help that we're sleeping together (Wakka turned a delicate shade of pink and coughed) – I mean, sharing a bed – and then the whole walking in on her and-"

"Whoa, walking in on her when?" Tidus interrupted. "I didn't hear about THAT!"

"Wha- no, nothing!" Wakka quickly backtracked. "That…was some other thing…got mixed up….ya…"

"Look…Wakka." Tidus stood up and clapped a hand on Wakka's shoulder. "I think it's best if you think less about it all, and just take it slowly."

Wakka sighed.

"Yeah, I know – but…"

"No buts- okay?" Tidus smiled sympathetically "Worrying isn't going to do you any good – and it's not going to do her any good."

Wakka smiled sadly back, but he didn't look convinced.

"Well, we'll see." He finally replied.

"But changing the subject…" Tidus said, looking up at the clock. "The girls really _are_ late now. The match starts in 10 minutes – they won't be able to get to their seats!"

Just as they were exchanging concerned glances, the change room door clicked open and a rather dishevelled and grumpy Lulu walked in.

"Lu!" Wakka exclaimed, standing up immediately and walking over to her. "What's going on? Are you all alright? Where're the other two?"

"I'll tell you in a minute – just stop crowding me, Wakka!" she said, glaring at him in irritation. "I've spent enough time being pushed and squashed by people this morning. That crowd out there…is truly horrible."

"Well?" asked Tidus as Wakka backed off. "Where _are_ Yuna and Rikku?"

Lulu sighed and pushed some of her hair back in frustration.

"Rikku's still not feeling very well, so Yuna stayed back to look after her until she feels better." She said. "They promised they would try and get here in time for the first match- but well, with that crowd outside…I don't think they'll be getting here for some time."

"Ah." Tidus nodded. "Aha. I see. Well, that just leaves us no choice. We'll just have to definitely win this first match, so that by the time they get here, they'll still get to see us play. Play in the finals that is! Right, Wakka?"

Wakka looked at Tidus and made a sort of choking noise that could have been either yes or no.

"Aw, c'mon, man!" Tidus exclaimed. "Don't freeze up on me now!"

"Are you alright, Wakka?" Lulu asked quietly, noticing for the first time how clammy he was looking.

Wakka made another choking noise and jerked his head in a nod.

"Well, anyway, I'm going to go and warm up in the sphere now, okay?" Tidus said over his shoulder as he left the change room. "Don't take too long, man."

"Y-ya, sure thing, brudda." Wakka managed to reply.

Tidus gave him a sceptical look, before shutting the door with a click.

Lulu stared in silence at Wakka for a few moments, before she gently placed a cool hand on his arm.

"The game starts soon, Wakka." she said softly. "You're not feeling unwell, are you…?"

Wakka shook his head, and Lulu's brow furrowed in concern.

"Then- what's causing you to behave in such a-"

Lulu's sentence was cut of with an almost inaudible gasp as Wakka suddenly, yet tenderly embraced her in his arms and pulled her body tightly closer into to his.

It didn't seem right to speak, so Lulu simply encircled her arms around his wide back and rested against him in a comfortable hug. She closed her eyes and let the warmth that they were sharing relax her.

Certainly, she was surprised by his action, but she soon discovered that she wasn't really bothered by it either. If Wakka needed some support at this moment, she was quite content to remain where she was until he was ready to explain.

She remembered a similar incident just after they had started Yuna's pilgrimage – just after they had met Tidus – and just before Wakka had won his first ever Blitzball tournament. Wakka had been badly hurt in their first match, and had collapsed onto her. Yet, she remembered how she had held him, and how they had embraced so similarly to now. He had leant against her, with his hand gently holding her lower back, while she rested her cheek against his chest. In just one moment, Lulu had experienced a feeling of contentment and ease; more than she had could ever have remembered feeling before.

Now, as they embraced in the Aurochs changing room, Lulu was reminded strongly of those feelings, yet amongst the warmth and tenderness, another emotion Lulu had not realised was present was beginning to reveal itself.

"Lulu…" Wakka suddenly whispered into her ear, his voice hoarse and strained. As his warm breath tickled her skin, she felt a shiver go up her spine – a kind of tingling that made her feel as though her body temperature was rising rapidly.

"Yes?" she replied softly, in a voice guarded of emotion.

"Lulu, I…"

She felt her heart jolt as he whispered her name once again into her ear, and wondered why she was suddenly finding it harder to breath, when it wasn't as though he was holding her _that_ tightly.

"I'm…really…scared…" Wakka finally finished, and he bent his head so that his forehead was resting on her shoulder.

"Of…what?" Lulu asked, finally breaking the embrace by resting both her hands on his shoulders and pushing him up so that he was looking her in the face. She hoped her cheeks weren't as hot as they felt. Even though she was feeling slightly flustered, she kept her face a cool mask.

"Of letting the team down, ya!" He smiled bitterly as he looked down at her. "Ten years without a single win in a Blitzball match doesn't exactly leave fond memories."

Lulu sighed. What had she been expecting? Of course he'd be nervous.

"I just…don't know if I can do it…" he mumbled. "Sometimes…I wonder if it's all just been a huge fluke."

He closed his eyes and exhaled deeply. Something in his face tightened and his lips were pressed so hard together that they had turned white.

"Stop right there." Lulu placed her hands on her hips and glared up at him. "Now, you listen to me. I've watched you play since you were a little boy, and I've seen you win the tournament each year for the past 3 years! I believe you will win this year, just like last year and the year before."

"You _believe_ we will w-" Wakka interrupted, but Lulu cut him off.

"Let me finish." She said, holding up a hand. "I believe you will win. I know you _can_ win – I have absolutely no doubt in your abilities to win this tournament hands down. But, I believe you will win. I have faith in you."

Wakka smiled awkwardly, and Lulu was relieved to see that his expression had relaxed a little.

"Thanks…ya?"

"You don't look convinced, though." Lulu sighed and shook her head.

"No…it's just that…well…" Wakka stumbled across his words. "I'm still…scared, you know? And I don't want to mess up just because I'm nervous – but I can't just stop being nervous, ya."

Lulu raised her eyebrows, almost wanting to chuckle. Here was Wakka, who acted so big and manly all the time, practically wetting himself with nerves – and over what? Not a battle with Sin, or a confrontation with a life endangering fiend – but a game! Just a game of Blitzball! Lulu knew she could never call Blitzball 'just a game' in front of any male in Spira, but she really couldn't understand the importance it held for them. She looked up at Wakka, and supposed that it didn't really matter this time, whether she understood or not.

"I suppose desperate times…call for desperate measures." She finally said, giving him a small smile. "Hold out you hand."

Wakka looked confused, but held out his right hand all the same. Lulu slid the ring she always wore off her left middle finger and gently pushed it onto Wakka's pinkie finger, where it fitted snugly.

"Wha-?" he stuttered. "But-"

"I'll lend it to you." She said quietly. "It's a guarantee that you'll win. It'll bring you the best luck you could have. So, you can stop being scared now, okay?"

"But isn't this…your mother's..." Wakka began, inspecting the ring on his finger.

"Yes." She confirmed. "It's one of the few keepsakes I have from her. So take good care of it, and give it back to me after the tournament."

"Thank you." Wakka said, so sincerely that Lulu began to feel slightly uneasy and warm again. "But..why?"

Lulu paused, reluctant to admit that she wanted to help Wakka in a similar way to how the shell pendant he had given her had helped her. The pendant was currently secured safely around her neck, its comforting weight resting against her neck. Wakka couldn't possibly have known how special it seemed to her at the moment, and she was not exactly about to tell him any time soon.

She also wasn't sure how to explain the feeling that had compelled her to give it to him in the first place. Some sort of impulse that had taken hold. For, even now when she looked at Wakka wearing the accessory that she had worn for many years, she felt another shiver of heat spread across her body.

"I just…wanted to help." She lamely answered him, while avoiding his eyes. "So, don't be nervous anymore. You don't need to be."

Wakka finally smiled a genuine smile and nodded.

"You better get out there then." Lulu nodded towards the door. "Go and show them what you're made of."

"You bet, ya?" Wakka waved the hand with the ring on it, and practically jogged to the door, stopping only to rest a hand gently on her shoulder in thanks.

Lulu watched the door close behind him, before sitting down on of the benches and touching her face gingerly. It still felt quite warm. It really couldn't be that Rikku's hangovers were contagious, could it? She snorted at her own ridiculous thought, and leant her head back slowly, remembering the tingling feeling she had experienced as he had whispered her name; his lips so close to her skin.

She stopped her thoughts immediately, startled by their nature.

"Damn tournament." Lulu muttered angrily to herself. "It makes everybody super sensitive and tense. Even me…"

She shook her head in annoyance, before realising that the game was going to start soon, and that if she didn't hurry, she wouldn't be able to get to her seat in time. Clutching her ticket, she hurried out of the changing room towards the packed stadium.

**End of Chapter 13...To be continued...**

* * *

Wow.

2 updates in 2 days.

Just trying to make amends for my terrible track record of updating once a year…or something

Anyway, I know it's a shorter chapter than normal (3000 words as opposed to 5000 words) but I feel that this is a good place to end the chapter.

Next chapter finally brings the start of the tournament, and some other…issues. Heheh.

Anyway, I just wish there was some way I could reply to the reviews I got…so I'll do it here, I guess :D

Iria – What a fluke eh! (Actually, I started writing again after I restarted FFX about a week ago…go figure )

GiGgLyGaL : Yes, I'm surprised Wakka didn't get a hangover too. I guess it's true what they say about alcohol VS body weight. And, I'm so happy you'll keep reading o

Yumemiruhana: Well…I updated! And here it is!

Motet: I feel sorry for Wakka too…I'm such a cruel writer…But I'm very glad you liked the chapter.

Casper23: Man, your comment made me totally crack up. Please let your hubby back in now, he's not going away anytime soon TT And now he's got his ciggys, he'll try to keep writing with enthusiasm! Thank you so much for keeping reading it!

ANYWAY! I will try to update again before this time next week, so stay tuned!  
Please drop me a review, I love to hear your thoughts!  
Until then,

Lulu-san


End file.
